The Perfect Daughter
by ninjaivy0513
Summary: Many lives are intertwined from the magic that turns men into wolves. They each have their secrets.
1. Capri

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 1: Capri**

**Capri: Saturday, May 22, 2024**

**7:26 PM**

Thick smoke curled around Capricorn as she sat on her slightly slanted roof which was easily accessed from her bedroom window. Smoking was nice, it helped her relax. Today, though, Capri was finding it harder to relax. Why? Well, it's her birthday. Capri's sixteenth to be exact. And, much to her dismay, there were only fifteen stars twinkling up in the sky. Fifteen, not sixteen. Capri had always believed in signs. Signs from where, the girl didn't know, but she believed anyways. She had to believe in something.

Capri doesn't remember how long she sat that there, contemplating the meaning of those fifteen tiny dots in the sky that are most likely already long gone. Most stars' light does not reach people's eyes until the stars are dead. _Waste of time to even look at them_, Capri thought bitterly. Countering thoughts aside, the girl seriously considered the meaning of them. Did fate believe that she was supposed to die before today? Was she never meant to see her sixteenth year?

After she took the cigarette between her fingers to extinguish the flame, she flicked the small white stick into the nearby woods. Glancing around nervously, she twiddled her fingers together.

_I can do this_, Capri thought. She can do this.

She shuffled inside her room and padded her way across the wood floor to her bathroom. Capri shut the door and opened the cupboard located underneath the sink. Deep in the back, buried under random toiletries, she found the container she was looking for.

It read: EPT Stick Home Pregnancy Test. Capri felt sick.

Carefully, she followed the instructions. Afterwards, she read the container to find she had to wait two minutes for accurate results. Two minutes isn't that long. Right?

Wrong. She felt as though those two minutes were really two years. Though, it might not have seemed that long if Capri stopped glancing at the clock on her phone every five seconds. Last week, she realized she was late and only yesterday had the young girl come to terms with the fact that the cause could be pregnancy. So earlier today at three in the morning, she got one of her friends to drive her to get a pregnancy test in the next town over.

Capri didn't realize she was shaking as she put her palms on her flat, toned stomach gained from evenings at the gym. Is there really a baby in here? Capri came to a horrible realization: she could get fat. If she was actually pregnant she was going to get fat. And she wouldn't be allowed to smoke.

No. No. No. The girl didn't want to be fat and have stretch marks and not smoke. She loved to party and be wild and drink and have fun. And what would her parents say? They always said they wanted grandchildren, but Capri had the strangest feeling they didn't want one _now_. It didn't matter though, because if she was pregnant, Capri was getting an abortion before anyone could find out. No way in hell she was going to become one of those 'sixteen and pregnant' clichés. She felt sad at her brutal thoughts, but Capri knew it was the truth of the situation.

Her alarm beeped.

Two minutes was up. She glimpsed at the stick. A wave of relief swept over her entire being.

Negative.

Not Pregnant.

For the first time in six years, Capri did a happy dance and smiled. Then, surprisingly, the girl squealed.

Those two words made Capri's night. But, her mood dampened abruptly, knowing where she would have to be in about ten minutes. Her birthday party. _Better hop in the shower_, she thought. If Capri didn't wash, her family would smell the smoke. Hell would break loose if her parents found out that she isn't the good girl she had been when she was five.

Shoving the pregnancy test in the trash, she grabbed a towel and a pretty white dress that came down to just above her knees. Jumping in the cold shower, she cleaned herself rapidly. While in the shower, Capri couldn't help the smile that appeared on her lips. The only thought in her brain right now was: not pregnant. The smile drooped when she remembered the night that started this problem.

Capri had been drinking. This wasn't unusual, though; nor was the fact that she was grinding up against some random guy. Nothing about the night had been out of the ordinary. She had a few- or maybe more than a few- drinks and found some guy to sleep with. Once she was through taking the guy on the wall of the bar- which again was common- Capri headed home with her friend Jay who always went to clubbing with her. This was routine. So, when Capri thought she might be pregnant, she was anxious and troubled.

She wouldn't say this event was a wake-up call because Capri was going to do the exact same thing again, but it did make her aware of the consequences of her actions.

Now, though, Capri knew she was not pregnant. Now, things can go back to the way they were. Now, Capri didn't have to worry about some stupid baby that would ruin her life. Now, Capri was content. Or, as content as she could be with her shitty, screwed up life.

Hopping out of the bath, Capri pulled on her new change of underwear and white dress. While in her room, she found pretty white pearl earrings and brown leather boots she had gotten for Christmas last year. For good measure, she slipped on the locket her aunt gifted her for her fourteenth birthday. Capri sneaked a glance in the mirror and decided she was ready.

Capri didn't have a car yet, but her aunt and uncle's house was not far at all. So, she hopped on her lime green bike and pedaled across the worn rode to the place where the rest of her family was preparing a surprise party for her. Though, nothing in her family stayed a surprise for long. Is it really a surprise party if Capri knew about it?

She carelessly tossed her bike in the grass bordering her uncle's driveway and marched up the porch steps. There was silence, but Capri knew why. Her family had heard her from most likely a mile away. Capri looked down. The mat on the door said: _Welcome_.

Capri put on her happy face and pushed open the door.

"Surprise!"

**A/N: Review please.**


	2. Happy Birthday

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related things belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

** All original characters and related things belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 2: Happy Birthday**

**Venus: Saturday, May 22, 2024**

**8:05 PM  
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"Surprise!" Venus shouted along with the rest of her large family. They had all gathered there for the second oldest child of the original Pack's birthday.

Leah and her husband Jay came with their children Leila and Greg in tow. The she-wolf had never imprinted, though honestly Leah preferred that; she fell in love with Jay slowly while going to college in California.

Embry showed up alone because his girlfriend Valerie had stayed home with a stomachache. Embry hadn't imprinted either and hoped to never do so in the future.

Quil and Claire- who had recently turned twenty one- had just yesterday gotten home from their honeymoon in the Bahamas. The couple was drooping in their seats from exhaustion but still shouted with just as much vigor as the rest.

Sam and Emily invited the whole group into their home with open arms. Their family consisted of with Ashler-who had recently phased,Karli, and Jaycee.

Capri's parents- Jared and Kim- came with Venus, Blaze, and Kaden. Blaze and Kaden were identical twins, but they were complete opposites personality wise. Blaze was temperamental and loud, almost to the point were the Pack joked that maybe he was actually Paul's son. On the other hand, Kaden was quiet and nice and much more likable than his counterpart.

Paul and Rachel Lahote along with their kids, Danny and Haley, were slightly late, as per usual.

Billy Black, Sue, Seth, Collin and his imprint of five named Taylor, Vince and his son Ryan completed the rest of the family.

Vince was fifteen when he phased. The man had turned after the battle with the Volturi, and he had married his girlfriend Wendy after graduating from high school. On their graduation day, Vince told Wendy about his 'condition' and the girl had slapped him before promptly hugging him. They were married in Vegas the next day. While giving birth to their son, Wendy died after naming the baby boy. Vince was a great father, but it was obvious the man and the boy needed someone else in their lives.

Venus was the youngest child of Kim and Jared. She was named after the goddess of love and beauty, but the girl's own image of herself is quite the opposite. Venus's self confidence level was quite low due to having been compared to her sister since she was born. They were startlingly different.

Capri was a very beautiful girl. She had wavy pale-blond hair, the kind that looks almost silver in the sun, with ice blue eyes. Her skin was tanned, but not as dark as her parents. In fact, many thought she was adopted because of the obvious differences between Capri and her parents. Capri would have thought so as well if she hadn't seen the picture of her grandmother, Kim's mom. Capri was the absolute copy appearance wise of her mother's mother.

On the contrary, Venus had pin-straight midnight black hair and brown eyes with dark skin that showed of her ancestry. Although the girl would tell you otherwise, Venus was just as beautiful as her elder sister. In Venus's opinion, everything about her was just like everyone else in La Push. While the younger girl resented that, Capri only wished she could look like her parents. Everyone stared at Capri, and while she did like some attention, she hated feeling like an outsider.

One time, Venus told her older sister of her personal feelings on her appearance and Capri slapped Venus's cheek while telling her if the girl ever said something like that about herself again, she would slap her harder. Consequently, Venus doesn't uttered a word of her insecurities to Capri anymore. Somehow, Venus had the feeling that Capri knew Venus still thought about that kind of stuff, even if she didn't put her thoughts into words.

In Venus's point of view, the only thing equal about her older sister and herself was their hate for La Push.

Sometimes at night, when Capri snuck into her younger sister's bed, she would tell Venus about how one day they'll leave and go someplace sunny._ I won't ever leave you behind, _Capri would say. Capri promised she'd never go away without trying to take Venus with her. Capri promised.

Venus used to believe her.

**Kim**: Saturday, May 22, 2024****

**8:05 PM**

"There's my birthday girl!" Kim squealed at her eldest daughter.

Capri looked up at her mother with a gaze filled with joy. Kim was never good at reading people's emotions, but she could tell Capri seemed pleased with something. Kim didn't remember the last time she had seen her daughter with a smile in her eyes. What caused this? Perhaps the young girl got a nice grade on that math test she'd been studying for all week. Yes, that must be it. Capri's been in her room using every amount of free time in her procession to prepare. Like always, Kim thought. Most of the time, Capri attained perfect scores on tests and the like. Kim took pride in her child's intelligence and often pondered about how hard her daughter works to keep up her grades, especially with Capri's dyslexia.

"Hi Mom," Capri said softly, pulling Kim into a hug. Capri smelled like soap. When was the last time she called Kim, Mom? Lately, it's been Jared and Kim, not mama and papa. Kim began to remember the first time her daughter called her father by his first name; Jared flipped. It had always been papa or daddy. The stripping of Kim's title had taken place earlier, so she had consoled her husband from experience. Consequently, hearing the "mom" comment made Kim's day and caused a grin to stretch across her worn face.

"Happy sixteenth," the older woman whisper in Capri's ear. Gradually, Kim let her go. Her daughter barely embraced, much less spoke to her parents these days, and Kim was trying her best not to get emotional. Jared promptly grabbed his oldest child and pulled her to him in a long hug. They spoke a few whispered words Kim couldn't hear quite well enough to understand. The mother saw them laugh at some joke. She sighed. Capri was always a daddy's girl. At least Kim had Venus and Kaden. It's ironic that Kim's two children who fight the most- Blaze and Capri- share the same preference in parent.

"You make me old, little girl. Just yesterday, I could have sworn it was your first day of school," stated Embry while embracing his eldest niece. She replies with a light grin before going about her way with hugs for everyone. Everyone meaning the adults because the children are all running around the living room.

The house has been through numerous renovations over the years so it could hold the entirety of the Pack. The main room and the kitchen are the largest in the house, and even with three children the Uley's have two guest bedrooms for any member needing to stay with the family. At the moment, most of the group is located in the living room where the some of the furniture has been cleared to the side. Blue couches sat in the corner looking oddly out of place.

Kim began to wonder how much money it cost for all this construction. Probably didn't have to pay for labor, she mused.

Emily walks in then with a cake in her hands. On the top it reads: Happy Birthday Capri. Sixteen pink candles decorated the top of the white frosted treat. Kim smiled.

Cheers erupted and complaints of hungry wolves ensued. Earlier, when the cake had been baking, the smell pierced through the entire house. Stomachs rumbled and Emily had to make Sam stand guard at the entrance of the kitchen to refrain anyone from charging into the kitchen to consume the cake. Starving wolves and cake do not usually mix well.

The lights were dimmed, and the entire pack and imprints and kids and grandparents gathered around to watch Capricorn blow at those sixteen candles, which had recently been lit up. And then it began.

"Happy Birthday to you.." the classic song engulfed the room with the loudest singers being Brady and Leila, Leah's daughter, who was perched on the man's shoulders.

"Make a wish!" a six-year old Leila called. Leah's youngest child was always impatient. And hungry.

In the background, Kim heard the screen door swing open. She paid little attention, though. Kim had been too caught up in her thoughts about how old her eldest daughter was becoming, and in turn how old Kim was becoming as well.

Capri slowly leaned down, bringing her mouth closer to the flaming candles. The tiny flames cast dancing shadows on her face in the darkness.

The birthday girl opened her eyes and stared out the window at the starry night sky. Kim followed her gaze in which she saw fifteen stars- wait no, sixteen stars in the sky. The last one was significantly dimmer than the rest, but was there nonetheless.

Capri never did see that sixteenth star.

Smirking lightly, she closed her eyes once again and in the next second all the candles were blown out. More yelling and laughing and merriment.

The mother saw Capri's gaze turn up. She met Kim's eye and sent her a grin.

Then, Capri shifted her stare to the left.

What Kim saw in her eyes scared the woman.

She saw misery and desperation and denial. Above all, Kim saw sadness.

Following her eyes, the mother observed Sam and Emily's oldest son as he looked at her daughter like Capri was the only person in the universe.

Why was Capri so upset? Kim had always wished this would happen to her. Her heart would never get broken, now.

Capri had found her soul mate.

**A/N: Please Review. I like input. Re-edited version.  
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	3. A Sole Promise

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 3: A Sole Promise**

**Chapter Three**

**Ashler: Saturday, May 22, 2024**

**8:10 PM  
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Oh, shit. Ashler was **so** late.

Trees whizzed by the wolf. Ash urged himself to go farther.

Faster.

That's the only real benefit he ever found from this idiotic curse: the speed. It's exhilarating, adrenaline-pumping. Ashler heard his own paws thudding against the forest floor. Everything was so green.

Green used to be his favorite color. Now, Ashler saw it much too often. The color is always there, reminding him of the nature constantly surrounding the wolf. Because now he's just like his father and their ancestors. Permanently troubled with thoughts of protection and safety of others. Ashler had to be able to give his life to people he don't know. He must be willing to die at the drop of a hat for humanity. The wolf was obligated to lead a group of men whose situation is identical to his own. Ashler was required to take everything that was important to him- school, grades, girls- and throw it away.

This is now his duty until he had a son or daughter who can take over Ashler's position. Then, he may retire. Bunch of shit, really. Ashler didn't ask for this; he doesn't want this.

But then, neither does anyone else.

By now, he had reached his parent's house. Inside, Ashler heard the familiar chant: "Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday…" Ash would have gone inside then, but he'd just draw attention to himself.

His birthday party had taken place last week; although, yesterday had been his actual birthday. Ashler's party always took place a week earlier from Capri's since him and Ri were five. Why? Well, their conjoined fifth birthday party had ended with the two getting in a fist fight over who got the first slice of cake. Enough said.

"Make a wish!" the young man outside heard an impatient, high-pitched voice holler. If he stepped in quietly now, maybe no one will notice him. There were so many people in there, Ashler was sure nobody even realized he was late.

Ashler cringed when the door creaked as he tore it open; kind of like ripping off a band-aid: might as well get it over with it. Thankfully, the attention of the room had been focused solely on Ri. And the cake. Smiling, he watched his old best friend blow at the candles meticulously. She didn't miss one. That's how Capri is.

The room erupted with joy. Ash observed Ri closely as she shared a look with her mother before turning over to him.

It was odd, he had seen her a thousand times over since birth. They had been best friends since before they were born. So it was quite the surprise when Ashler saw Capri and he felt his heart stop beating.

Everything about her suddenly glowed. Silence enveloped him as he continued to look upon the angel that immediately filled the entirety of the room. There was no one else in the world except for her. When did she grow to be so immensely beautiful and perfect? Why had he never noticed?

All of Ashler's worries flew out that damned creaky screen door. The fear of leading, of dying, was gone. All that mattered was Capri.

Capri.

Capri.

Capri.

An invisible, yet impossibly strong wire was weaving its way from his heart to hers. Ash could feel it tugging at his chest, urging the man forward. It wanted him to move closer to Ri. He had no objections. Just as Ashler was about to take action forward, she treaded backwards. One small step away from him was all it had took.

His heart had broken. He had felt through this indescribable bond the emotions of rejection and anguish coming from Capri. She didn't want him.

Tearing at the seams, Ashler's heart died a quiet death.

"I'm sorry," Capri voice murmured. Every pair of eyes were now centered on their exchange. Ashler's father, Sam, nodded in approval, but was obviously sympathetic at the situation his son was now put in. When **_she_** rejected you, it hurt far worse than any of them would ever say. His mother appeared overjoyed. As did Ash's Aunt Kim, Capri's mother. Jared, on the other hand, growled. Embry laughed. Seth looked at them and threw Ash a look that could only be described as pity. Quil and Claire smiled softly at Ash; they had finally settled out their problematic imprint. They could relate. Collin, hand in hand with his young imprint Taylor, looked as though this was no surprise. Brady was still devouring his cake, oblivious of the tension. Greg-Leah and her husband Jay's oldest son- Ashler's best friend, wiggled his eyebrows. Leila was in the same state as Brady.

Each individual person had formed their opinion. Whether it was happiness or approval or disapproval or disappointment, Ashler found that only one mattered. And that person's was filled with distress.

He knew Capri. He knew once her mind was made, it could not be changed. She had already decided.

Ashler could love her forever and beyond, but he knew for a fact that she would never love him back.

**Seth: **Saturday, May 22, 2024****

**8:13 PM**

Seth was no Jasper, but even he could feel the despair pouring from his nephew. Some noticed and some hadn't, but Seth had realized that with two words, his imprint had rejected everything Ashler could give her. Happiness, a family, a life, all thrown away with an '_I'm sorry_'.

The man found it utterly ironic that Kim had openly embraced her husband; Jared and Kim were forever branded as the 'Perfect Imprint'. Now, Seth had been sure that her daughter, Capri, and Ash would forever be identified as the complete opposite.

A few of them sent Ashler pity and sympathetic young man was oblivious. He was mad. He was sad.

He left. He was gone.

Seth had felt a light pressure on his hand from a small source. Without looking, he knew who it was.

Venus.

_His_ imprint.

"What do you thinks' going to happen?" Venus asked. Her face was distant but curious. Thoughtful.

Beautiful.

"I don't know. These things always work themselves out. Only time will tell, though," the man replied happily. Seth was always happy.

He discerned that Venus was concerned for her sister who was now being shown her birthday present: a new car. It wasn't actually new, really. An old jeep was what it was. But they had all known it would please her.

He opened his mouth to tell Venus words of comfort, but she cut him off. Her tiny, dark hand slipped from his. Seth narrowed his eyes. He hoped she wasn't going to ever follow her sister's example. Maybe Capri wasn't the best role model in this situation.

"I have to go," she told him. Following those four words, Venus set off after her sister. The adults entered the house again. Awhile back, Sam and Emily had gotten a large extension to fit this many people. Good thing, too. Nobody had ever realized how large the family would grow.

Seth heard low voices from outside. They belonged to Capri and Venus. Giggles followed this conversation.

He caught a few words.

"Nothing's…don't look at me like tha…yes…yes…okay." Capri's voice carried.

Footsteps reached the front door. A voice yelled through.

"May I go on a ride with Capri?" Venus asked. Jared called a back his approval and two pairs of feet were heard sprinting off. An engine revved and tires squealed. They were gone. Seth felt a tug at his chest. He ignored it.

Conversations picked up again. Decorations and cake were getting cleaned up. Kids were laughing and running around in and outside of the house. Claire was sitting in Quil's lap on the couch opposite to Seth's. Sam and Emily were in the kitchen laughing and clearing the counters. Jared and Kim were arguing in the corner, most likely about the recent imprint of their daughter.

It was no surprise that Jared had a problem with Capri and imprinting. He was fiercely protective of his family, too much so on occasion. That was how all the Pack acted, though. Everyone took care of everyone, and they were all extremely protective and possessive of what was theirs. They didn't mean any harm, it was good intentions, though they sometimes took things a bit far. And honestly, what father wouldn't have a problem with their daughter imprinting? Capri was no longer his.

Yeah, sucks for Jared, Seth internally sympathized. Jared had no daughters left.

Collin was talking to Taylor about some new show had come on called Fairies Forever. Brady was laughing with Leila, his favorite niece. Embry was on the phone, speaking rapidly to the person on the other end. The perfect mixture of chaos and order.

Seth closed my eyes and napped.

He dreamed of the scene between Ashler and Capri. But instead of actually seeing those two, Seth saw himself and Venus.

What a nightmare.

**Venus: Saturday, May 22, 2024**

**8:27 PM  
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"What's up with you?" her sister probed, one hand on the wheel, the other holding a beer.

"Nothing in particular," Venus looked at her with a facial expression that seemed to say 'why-exactly-do-you-can-lie-to-me'.

"Give me a sip?" Venus asked politely. Capri chuckled before handing her the bottle of Bud Light. It tasted nasty but good at the same time. It was numbing. She can understand why Capri likes it. She sort of does, too, id she was being completely honest. But mostly, Venus wanted Capri to stop drinking and driving. Dad would be mad if Capri crashed on the first night of having it.

"You're such a liar. I know you. What's your deal?" She knew. Capri always knew. The younger sister sighed.

"I'm a bad person," she said while taking another swig of the alcohol. Again, Capri laughed. She frowned. What was so funny? Venus was being completely serious.

"This is about Seth, right," Her voice wasn't questioning, just searching for a small sign of confirmation. Venus nodded slightly. "Let me guess: you don't love him," Capri paused in thought before actually continuing,"or you just don't love him enough."

Like Venus had said, Capri knows everything.

The girl nodded again.

"Look, Ve. You know the legend about imprints, right? They always tell you that you got a choice. That you don't gotta be with your imprint. They emphasize that you can make a decision about what happens." Capri frowned and took the bottle from her little sister's hand. Their hands were the same size. Both small. Capri didn't like her tiny hands; it made playing the piano more difficult.

"Well, it's a lie. The choice is made the moment they look at you for the "first time". You're theirs. You are now labeled as 'his imprint'. The life you lead is forever intertwined with that person's. '_The choice is yours_' part is just a bunch of bullshit the elders feed you so that you get to feel independent."

Capri continued with a mischievous grin," Now, lucky for you, you have me as a sister. If you want to be mean, like I just was to Ash, you can tell them outright-" Venus interrupted her.

"No!" the younger girl exclaimed. Embarrassed at her outburst and the incredulous look Capri gave her she decide to continue," It's just- I just- I mean, Seth is really nice and- and- I don't think-" Capri puts a hand over her mouth. With a small smile, she starts to speak again.

"Or," Capri said," you can go along with the motions. Pretend. It'll hurt you, but it won't hurt Seth. Then, with time, your relationship will drift apart. No one will notice the changes in you because it's gradual. Minute. But, over time, you make the imprint become whatever it is you want it to be. Well, that's my theory anyway."

Some sort of emotion passed by on her face, but it was gone as soon as it came. Her sister doesn't smile or laugh or cry a lot. She barely ever feels, at least that's as far as most can tell. Capri does what she is told, and she is perfect.

Only, Venus knew. She knew about the drugs and the alcohol and the men. She knew about the carelessness. Sometimes, at night, after Capri came home from a party-if she came home at all, she'll crawl through her window and slip into Venus's twin bed with her. Smelling of sweet smoke, sweat, beer, and sex Capri will whisper to Venus that she loves her, and that she's sorry and she'll be better next time. Then, Venus will hold her tight and tell her that she's doing just fine. After a couple minutes, Capri gets up, straightens her clothes, and with a smile full of love, Venus watches the mask that secures her emotions envelope her sister once again and the smile on Capri's face fades. She leaves Venus's room and goes to her own bed. Capri never slept with her sister; she had a rule. No sleeping with anyone.

Most days, Venus was sure she dreamed these memories, because her perfect, beautiful sister cannot have such secrets. She cannot be bad. And yet here she is, drinking a beer and driving her new car.

With Venus inside. And Capri really couldn't give a damn.

Silence ensued.

After a few moments, Capri's light, musical voice penetrates the hush.

"I swear, I'll never leave you behind, Venus. When I leave, you come with me. And we'll take this jeep across the country and live somewhere where it's always sunny. In the city. In the country. On the beach. In the mountains. Anywhere but here."

She holds out her tiny finger to Venus. A memory flashes in the younger sister's mind.

"_Wait up," a four- year old Venus called out to a nine-year old Capri. Capri turned around. Her ice blue eyes dance with glee as she runs faster. A challenge in her behavior. Venus's light blue summer dress with tiny red fish danced in the breeze as she raced after her older sister._

_It's summer in La Push. A sunny day, an unusual occurrence. The heat is not overbearing, but deliciously warm. Crickets chirp and blue wave's crash on the beach ahead. The perfect summer setting. It screams lemonade and laughter and childish innocence._

_Venus's chest is aching as she finally collapsed on the beach seconds after Capri._

"_I win," she shouts with a smile in her voice._

"_You always win," Venus pouted, folding her little dark arms over her stomach. She laughs at Venus. She spins on the ground so that her face hovered over Venus.  
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_She is even more beautiful than she is in the present. Her eyes sparkle making them almost identical to the light waves in the distance. Her blond hair cascades over her shoulder, a disarray. A permanent grin is etched onto her features. The smile is genuine and true and good and unharmed by the toll time has taken on Capri. She is the essence of summer beauty and love._

"_I love you and that is why I don't let you win." She explains. Venus smelt salt and sand in the hot air. She heard an ice cream truck pass by. Laughter is everywhere she turned. _

_Venus bobbed her head, not entirely comprehending Capri's logic._

_Capri falls into the sand beside her and they stare at the sky together, pointing out shapes in the occasional cloud._

_Suddenly, Capri sits up and faces Venus. The little sister followed suit._

"_Hey V, will you not tell anybody what I'm about to say?"_

"_Why?"_

"_They might be upset. Okay? So just don't ever repeat what I'm about to say."_

"_Okay."_

"_Do you ever get tired of this place? Do you even like it here?"_

_Venus felt as though that was a serious question, so she tries to think as hard as any four year old can.  
><em>

"_No, I don't get tired. I like Mommy and Daddy and big brother Blaze and Kaden and my Seth. I also like Uncle Em and Quillie and Miss Claire and Auntie Emie and Uncle Sammy. And the new baby Leila. Why would I get tired?"_

"_Well, I do. I want to go away."_

"_Why?"_

"_I don't like it here. Everything's so weird and it's always the same." Capri paused before continuing," And it's hardly ever sunny here. I hate the rain. It makes me sad."  
><em>

"_I don't get it."_

"_You will, someday."_

"_Will you leave me?"_

_A hesitation in Capri.  
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"_Yes."_

"_No! Don't go I love you too much." She grabbed Capri's arm willing her to stay with Venus._

"_I will someday. I'll leave and I might never come back."_

"_Take me with you."_

"_Why?"_

"_Cuz' I love you. And I'll be really sad. I'll cry and I don't really like cryin'."_

_Capri offered her pinky to Venus for the first time. They rolled over so that Venus was sitting on her sister's dress covered sun beat down on Venus's back. Venus took her finger in Capri's own._

_Capri began," I promise to bring you with me wherever I go. Without you, I wouldn't be me."_

"_I love you," Capri said. This was the first time Venus had ever remembered __Capri__ telling her that she loved her._

Once again, Venus took her pinky, remembering the plethora of times Capri had promised.

On that night, Venus had been sure Capri would never betray that one thing. Because this was the last one.

Every other promise Capri had ever made to her little sister has already been broken.

**A/N: Reedited Version. Please Review! Pretty Please!**


	4. A Place for Everything

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter Four: A Place For Everything  
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**Chapter 4**

**Cassidy: Saturday, May 22, 2024**

**9:47 PM  
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Smash.

Bang.

Slap.

Screams of anger echoed through the house.

_ Shut Up!_ Cassidy cupped her hands over her small ears. Rocking slowly back and forth in the corner of her tiny bedroom, the girl began to sob. Silent, fat tears poured down her cheeks. She felt like she was five years old. A silly little girl whose parents fought too much was what Cassidy was. She had no reason to be sad. Cassidy had no right. Many better a person had worse things happen to them, but she just couldn't control herself.

_You're not the only one in this household that is hurting!_ An inner voice screamed at the girl. _Go get him!_ Obeying the better part of herself, Cassie shakily stood up and tiptoed her way out the door to her room and down the hallway. Dinosaur stickers decorated the white wooden door. She slipped into the dark room silently. The only way to see in the entire area was a T-Rex night light, but this illumination was effectively covered by a small fort made of blankets.

Cassidy heard a young boy's whispers.

"No…I guess…yeah, I don't like it either," he softly spoke. More quiet murmurs proceeded in hushed tones, and she could not make out the words. Trembling slightly, the girl entered the make shift fort. Inside Cassidy found her younger brother speaking to his imaginary friend, Sadie. Again.

"Luke," she started slowly. He didn't turn his head to her, but he brought his 'conversation' to an end.

The older sibling tried again,"Luke, honey, are you alright?" Cassidy reached for him, but Lucas flinched from her touch. It's as though touching her would burn him. Sighing lightly, Cassie scooted closer towards him. This time he didn't move.

"Cassie," he began, but broke off. Then, after a few heavy moments, he lifted his gaze to Cassidy's. His large, milk chocolate eyes are almost overflowing with tears. "I-I-I," his voice is shaky, "I'm sorry. It's all my fault." He didn't elaborate. He didn't have to.

She pulled him into her lap and hugged him. He's so tiny; he's just a baby, seven-years old. Luke shouldn't have to deal with this.

"It's okay. It's alright." The rest of her words are cut off by a loud _clang_. There goes another lamp. Great.

"This is not your fault. It never will be and never was." Luke nodded, but still looked uncertain.

"It is not your fault,"Cassidy repeat over and over, and she hoped that it will finally get stuck inside his mind. Rocking him back and forth, she tried to think of some way that he found out. It was probably their mother who told him. Selfish bitch.

Around eight years ago, their mother cheated on Cassidy's father with some random guy and became pregnant with her baby brother, Lucas. When Luke was born, and didn't have their parents dark skin or hair, Cassie's father ordered a paternity test. Even before the results came back, they all knew that Luke was not Cassidy's father's. Thus, the fights picked up.

Life used to be good for Cassidy. Before Luke was born, they were the perfect family. Perfect mom, perfect dad, perfect house, perfect car; everything was meticulous and right. Now, the house was dirty, the car was busted up from that accident two years back, her parents fought, and her dog ran away. And Luke was the trigger to it all.

Cassidy used to hate him. She used to dream of him never being born. The girl had loathed her little brother with a passion. That ended last year.

She saw something she shouldn't have.

_"Bye!" Capri shouted as Cassidy snuck in through the back door of her house. It was midnight on a Thursday-well, technically it was Friday. She and Capri, her best friend, headed off to Jessica's party. Jessica's parents were always gone on business trips, so a bash at her house was always filled with fun. And beer._

_ Cassidy was about to head upstairs when she heard a voice coming from her living room. Thankfully, the girl was only mildly buzzed from the alcohol and was still coherent._

_ "It's all your fault! You see what you did! You ruin everything." Peeking in, she watch as her mother fumed at a six-year old Luke. He's crying. She's red as a tomato. _

_ "I hate you; you good for nothing bastard!" She raged._

_ Slap. His cheek turned bright red._

_Cassidy saw red. She had never felt such a protective feeling come into her.  
><em>

_ Stunned, Cassie rushed into the room. Her mother, Daphne, looked up at Cassidy, rage in her features. Her gaze was crazed. Cassidy was sure hers was identical to Daphne's, but for an entirely different reason. Luke stood in the middle of the living room like a statue._

_ Striding forward, Cassidy was face-to-face with the monster that became her mother._

_ "Touch him ever again, and you will regret it," She told Daphne in a low, dangerous voice. To say that the mother was bewildered was an understatement. Cassidy grabbed Luke's hand and ran upstairs with him in tow. She set him down on her bed and knelt down on her knees so that they were eye level._

_Touching a cold hand to his stinging cheek, Cassidy embraced the little brother she never bothered to take the time to know, and apologized a thousand times over for the way she had ignored him._

Now, as Cassidy held him tight under the fort of blankets, she regretted not loving him from the day he was born.

She'll get him out of here one day, she swore. She'll make sure he got the life he deserved.

When he had at last fallen asleep, Cassie pulled out her phone.

She sent a text to Capri: _Happy B-day luv u, _and carefully carried Lucas to her bed so she can protect him even while she slept.

**Claire: Saturday, May 22, 2024**

**9:48 PM  
><strong>

As Claire sat in Quil's lap, she wondered what had possessed her niece to reject Ash. She could understand that Capri might be upset about the situation. She too had felt that way many times before. Quil and Claire's relationship had grown worse as their ages had progressed. Suddenly, Claire was not a little girl anymore, the girl that loved to look for shells on the beach and wanted to be a princess.

When she was sixteen, Claire made a move on Quil, and he rejected her. In turn, she went out to sleep with a football player from her high school named Rick.

Later, when Claire had left for college, Quil begged her not to leave. That time, it was she who rejected him. At college, Claire had kept a steady string of boyfriends to deflect the pain she felt whenever she thought of Quil. After a year in college studying to become a nurse, Claire returned to La Push. She couldn't stand the constant pain from being far from him.

When Claire did come back, though, Quil was in bad shape. The separation was harder on him. He never left his house except for his work at the garage. His utter depression was blatantly apparent. She had never known she could have that affect on someone; it tore her heart to shreds to know that she was the one to cause the frown that shad seemed to be permanently painted on his face.

After a couple months of working things out, they had finally become official. Claire had moved in with Quil and he proposed. Their wedding had been three weeks ago.

Claire was happy. Quil smiled again. She wished Capri could be as happy as Claire was with Quil someday. She and Capri had been close; only five years separated them. She was more of a little sister to Claire than a niece.

Though, now that Claire thought about it, she doesn't really remember the last time she really spoke to Capri.

When they were younger, Capri used to make games and play make believe with Claire and the other children of the Pack Claire had always told herself she was too big for those baby games, but she played them all the same.

Yet, somehow, Capri had faded into the background of this family. They mentioned her as an afterthought, unlike when she was young and was center of attention. Somewhere along the way, Capri had become insignificant. People only remembered her on holidays and birthdays.

The more she pondered this, the more unsettled Claire became.

"What's wrong?" Quil asked roughly as he felt his imprint's growing concern.

"Nothing," she replied. Claire suddenly felt silly. Capri is fine. She'll learn to love Ash just as every imprint. That's how it is and how it always will be.

Deep inside, she heard the voice that had once urged her to get out of this town and go to college so she could do something with her life. It told Claire that she was horribly lying to herself.

She ignored that voice because Claire realized something.

It was easier not to think of Capri, the girl they all used to know so well.

**Sam: Saturday, May 22, 2024**

**9:48 PM  
><strong>

He was tired. The former Alpha from long ago had his heart feeling heavy and weary.

Sam's son is sixteen.

"Honey, are we old?" He asked his wife casually. She chuckled at his question. Ceasing the scrubbing of the surfaces, Emily walked around the kitchen counter to stand in front of Sam.

Scars that lined her face stood out under the kitchen lighting. The usual regret and guilt coursed through him at the sight of the pink lines, like always, but he pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind, for Emily has something to say.

Grabbing his hand in hers, she kissed it. Then, with a devious smirk she retorts, "Is that a gray hair I see?"

Funny.

Real funny.

She laughed harder.

Eventually Sam gave up his stiff demeanor and join the laughter.

He may be old, but life was good.

Someday his son will be laughing with Capri like this.

Sam hoped, at least.

**Embry: Saturday, May 22, 2024**

**9:48 PM  
><strong>

"Hello," Embry answered the ringing phone. The unofficial ending of Capri's party had taken place, and soon after she left with Ve, his cell phone buzzed.

"Em?" a quiet voice asked. Oh, it's Valerie, Embry's girlfriend of two years. He smiled unconsciously at the title of girlfriend. It took a while for her to accept that. Love had never been a big part of Val's life.

"What's up?" the man questioned. He heard her deep sigh from the other end of the line. Embry was becoming worried. What was so bad that she would become this silent?

Val _was_ a quiet person, though, and she mostly kept to herself. Over the two and half years of seeing her, Embry still didn't know her whole story. What he did know was that her mother died when she was about four and her father used to beat her. When people found out, she was fifteen. After that, Valerie was tossed around various foster homes. When she turned eighteen, she left that system and made a life out of nothing but a broken girl who had never known any sort love.

He had never gotten any details, though. Feelings were hard to get from and to her. Only last week had Embry gotten her to say the words: I love you. God, had it felt nice when she said it, though.

She still hadn't answered, so Embry waited. He knew better than to bother her when she was clearly trying to say something.

The words, "I'm pregnant," were blurted from the phone so quickly, Embry wasn't sure he had actually heard them. Glancing around, the large man observed that no one had heard her. Sighing, he quickly hurried outside, and was greeted by thick, warm summer air.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I heard you right."

Her voice was steady and cool this time, "I'm pregnant."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah," he said. Then Embry paused for a moment to think before nodding in decision. "I mean, I've got a job that can cover a baby. We can get married if you want; I was planning on asking you soon, anyway. You've got your job, too. I suppose I could do the whole stay-at–home-dad thing; I got my bachelor's degree in accounting, you know. The garage could use an accountant. I would work from home and you could work at the office if you wanted…" his ramblings continued before he was stopped.

"Em," she began," I don't think having a baby right now is the best idea."

Oh.

"Why not?" Embry asked.

"I just..." she never completed her statement. He sighed again.

"Maybe we should talk when I get home, okay?"

"Okay."

"See ya at home."

"K' night," she said softly

"Bye. Love you."

And with that, my night had turned as shitty as Ashler's.

**Valerie: Saturday, May 22, 2024**

**9:51 PM  
><strong>

Oh, god.

Valerie's an idiot. She's dumb. She's a failure.

She was a mom.

Shit.

The call with Embry hadn't been the way Val had expected. She had thought he would have just called it quits right there and left. Valerie wasn't his imprint or whatever they called it.

Yeah, she remembered the time he told her about his wolf issue. That was a fun night.

Not.

The soon-to-be-mother sort of wished he had decided to leave. Then, she could have gotten up tomorrow morning and head down to a clinic to get this _thing _out of her. Valerie could have gone on with her life just like before. But, no, Embry being Embry was perfectly fine about this whole situation. He even sounded like he wanted a kid.

God, what had she gotten myself into? She should have never fallen in love with him; he's made her weak and vulnerable and _scared._ Why did he have to be so good? Why did he want _her_?

Emb should be going out to find his dumb soulmate, and he shouldn't be wasting his time with someone damaged like Valerie.

_You little piece of shit! You're a murder! You killed her; it was you._

She put her hands over her ears and sank against the wall of their apartment in Port Angeles. Valerie could always hear her father's voice telling her the truth. He was very blunt about it, too. Not that she minded. It was the truth; Valerie was a murderer.

Val killed my mother.

She didn't have a mother.

What is a mom?

How was she supposed to be one?

**Capri: Saturday, May 22, 2024**

**11:59 PM  
><strong>

She pulled out a book of quotes Capri had gotten at a book fair when she was in the second grade. Capri kept it under her bed and read it at night sometimes when she woke up from bad dreams.

_A place for everything, everything in its place~Benjamin Franklin._

"Mostly everything, A few of us still don't got one Mr. Franklin."

Capri wondered if it was bad to talk to a book.

**A/N: Re-edited version. Please Review!**


	5. Blaze

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related things belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

** All original characters and related things belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 5: Blaze**

**Blaze: Monday, May 24, 2024**

**6:30 AM  
><strong>

When he had learned that his family was full of werewolves at the young age of six, Blaze had known that that was what he was meant to do. He wanted to be a protector of people; a hero told in legends that would be passed down for generations to come.

His twin brother, Kaden, did not share his brother's views. Kaden wished for nothing besides to never have to be like their father and his brothers. Blaze supposed that was why they weren't so close anymore. They're exact opposites.

Kaden was quiet and shy while Blaze was loud and have a temper. Their mother said that when they handed her Kaden and Blaze for the first time, she had taken one look at him and said that Blaze would be trouble. Hence his name: Blaze. Like a fire.

"Blaze! Get up!" He heard his mother shout from downstairs. Groaning, the boy of thirteen thought of ways to get out of school today. Headache? No, he used that last week. Stomachache? No, Blaze used that on Friday to get out early. Fever? Nope, he don't have the resources to fake that one. Throat? Blaze can't; Mom would take him to the doctors.

Guess he was out of luck. This was the last week, though, so Blaze thought he might survive. The thirteen year old slunk off his bed and trudged his way to his dresser and grabbed clothes. Throwing a pair of basketball shorts and a grey, nondescript T-shirt, Blaze headed downstairs for breakfast.

The family was already seated at the table. Greetings were exchanged as Blaze took a spot at the table. The only person not present was Capri. She was constantly late for breakfast, so nobody cared. Blaze grabbed a serving of eggs and more than a serving in bacon and began to inhale his food.

Capri came down then. Blaze shot her a look which she returned with a nod. The two had never got along; Blaze thought they might have, way back when-like when he couldn't talk yet. Now, it was more of a relationship where Blaze insulted her and she indirectly fought back by not saying anything.

She is such a bitch.

"Good morning," Capri spoke softly, taking her seat. Blaze knew that act.

_Mommy, Daddy, I'm such a good girl; I never do anything wrong._

Yeah, right. Blaze had heard the rumors that circle the high school that he would be attending next year. People say she's a party girl and the biggest whore in her class. She's supposedly slept with the whole football team and various other losers at that tiny school. Blaze's big sister was like a baby prostitute.

He would never tell my parents any of this, though. One thing Blaze knew was that his mom and dad would not be able to handle the fact that their precious baby girl was really fucking the entirety of the teenage male population in La Push.

The look on their face would be priceless, though.

Clearing the breakfast plate, the boy rushed back upstairs to brush his teeth and wash his face. _Looking good, _Blaze thought to himself. He had dark brown hair and deep brown eyes. He also inherited the nice skin color from his mother.

Blaze was pretty damn hot, if he did say so himself.

He was walking out of the bathroom when he came face to face with Capri. Smiling sickeningly sweet at her, Blaze politely asked to move. Or, maybe not so politely.

Capri's lips lifted a bit at the edges like he had told her a funny joke or something.

She moved to the side, but as Blaze passed her, she spoke.

"You have an ax, Blaze? Your going to need it." And then she started laughing in earnest before walking off to God know's where. Probably not school like she should.

Capri was definitely certifiably insane.

He continued to brush past. Capri and her stupid words. She always had something clever to say.

Capri used to be a nice older sister; one that actually talked to Blaze. Well, she sometimes scared himand was mean, but he was able to tell that she loved him. She used to act like he meant something to her. Now, Capri made him feel like a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe.

Grabbing my bag, Blaze jogged to the place where Ve and Kaden were waiting.

"What took you so long?" Kaden asked as they all began their five minute walk to the middle school. Kaden and Blaze were soon to be ninth graders. Next year, Ve would be turning 12 and she would be in the seventh grade.

"Capri had something to say," Blaze explained with a shrug.

"What'd she tell you," Venus asked with a curious gaze. Blaze laughed. Venus was always curious about Capri. She always had to know what their older said to whom, and if anyone knew where she went.

"Wouldn't you like to know, baby sister." Blaze knew that Venus hated it when he or Kaden called her that.

Kaden and Blaze acted like your stereotypical older brothers. Venus hated it, but it was really for her safety. And their father's sanity.

God help them all should he ever find out about Capri.

The group of siblings parted ways when they reached the school. When Blaze entered homeroom, he quickly sauntered over to Sarah. He kissed her lips before the teacher walked in. She hadn't seen Blaze and for that he was thankful; no PDA allowed. Blaze had learned that the hard way when his mother got called to the school to find out her son was in trouble because they found him making out with a girl in the women's bathroom.

Not the best way to start the eighth grade/.

Sarah smiled up at Blaze and they picked up easy conversation with a group of their friends.

his day passed quickly; it was the last Monday of the eighth grade. First he had Spanish 1 which was really boring and confusing. Then he went to the dumb math class. Everyone called it that. There was the dumb math, the regular math and the advanced math class.

Later, he had gym which was followed by lunch with Sarah and Stan and Jeff and all his other friends. Kaden doesn't sit with him at lunch. They were part of two completely different social groups.

After that he had Social Studies, Language Arts, and Science.

Blaze hated school more than most kids. Every time he would read, Blaze get a bad headache and sometimes the words he would see got a bit mixed up. He never told anyone. People already thought he was stupid. At least, he thought, his problems weren't as bad as Capri's

Capri had a severe case of dyslexia. She has a hard time reading or concentrating on school work in general. She never really explained it to Blaze. The only reason she got good grades was because she cheated. There was no other way. Capri would tell her parents she goes upstairs to study, but Blaze always knew that was a lie.

Not that Blaze really cared what she did. Not at all. Or at least that's what he always told himself. Deep down, all Blaze wanted was approval from his older sister. That's all he wanted from anyone. He didn't want to feel stupid or not good enough.

"Where do you wanna go?" Sarah asked while she grabbed his arm as they leave school. Most days the couple would go out after a hard day of learning. One time, Blaze stole some beer from his fridge and they drank that following last class. Unfortunately, he didn't have any alcohol today.

"Beach," he stated resolutely. So, they marched their way to the coast. Sarah and Blaze took off their shoes and strolled down the seaside. Cool water touched the pair's toes. Sarah spoke of her friend and what she said and her dumb teachers. Blaze pretended to listen while admiring his surrounding.

And then he saw her.

She was sitting on a moldy log and wore a pained expression. The girl looked Blaze's age, around thirteen or fourteen, and he could have sworn he had never seen her before. Which was odd because everyone knew everyone in La Push.

"Hey," Sarah said nudging Blaze's arm," I've got to go. Homework." They shared a goodbye kiss that felt wrong with that girl seated over there. And then, Sarah was gone. Blaze felt strangely relieved.

Quickly, Blaze made up his mind, and he strode to where the young teen was situated.

When he saw her face, he took a deep breath of surprise.

The girl was stunning; there was no denying this. She had baby blue eyes and dark brown hair paired with a shade lighter skin than mine. Her outfit composed of a dress that was now pulled up to her thighs. She was tiny but strong. But what Blaze found stood out the most was the fresh wound on the side of her face.

"Are you alright?" he asked, but gained no reply. She was shaking softly and would not meet his gaze. "What's your name?"

"Adrian."

"Well, Adrian, would you mind telling me what happened?"

"Yes, I would mind."

Blaze tried again.

"Are you-" Blaze began but he was cut off when he saw Capri walking towards them. Oh great. Here comes the freak show.

When his older sister reaches us, Adrian stopped shaking and glared up at Blaze's sister with an odd look on her face. It looked like hate. Have they met? Blaze wondered.

Then, Capri kneeled down so that she was level with Adrian's face.

"What happened to your face?"Capri asked with a smirk. Why the hell was she smiling? What's so fucking great about a girl with a big gash on her face? Blaze continued to think harshly towards Capri.

"I tripped," replied the younger girl, crossing her arms over her chest in a form of what looks like defense. Seriously, what the fuck? They have to have met before for Adrian to be so peeved. Capri doesn't look like someone who pisses people off. She looks nice and dainty and pretty. But, when you meet her, you know there's something wrong with her. There something odd about her smile, and there is a strangeness in her graceful movements. It looks as though there's a quiet evil living within her.

Secretly, Blaze called my sister Satan.

Capri laughed.

"You tripped, huh?" Adrian gets a sour look on her face before nodding.

"You sure?" Capri questions.

"Positive."

"If you say so."

"I do," Adrian replies. There is a note of blatant finality in her voice which Blaze could tell Capri recognized instantly as her smirk grew wider.

Capri stood up and brushed off sand from her blue jeans. She offered a hand. Adrian remained seated and does not take it. Suddenly, Capri turned to Blaze and addressed him for the second time today.

"Do you know what's for dinner tonight? Mom said she was making fajitas."

The question is so out of the blue that Blaze doesn't even bother trying to stutter out an answer at first.

He doesn't remember- other than this morning- how long it had been since Capri actually spoke directly to him. A month maybe since he had last heard that stupid sing-song voice directed at him. Finally, Blaze work up enough brain cells to pull out an answer.

"I don't know. I thought Dad said he wanted fish," he replied. Capri shrugged and Blaze returned his gaze to Adrian. Blaze's eyes are attracted to her for a reason he can't explain.

Adrian's facial expression was no longer bitter, but happy. Blaze was confused.

He decided right then that he was done trying to understand women.

Adrian grasped Capri's hand and she was pulled to her feet. Her legs were shaky, but she recovered quickly. Her hiked up dress fell back down to touch her knees.

"Thank you," she muttered quietly before walking off into the woods.

"Great, you scared her off," Blaze mumbled to Capri. She laughed. She was always laughing at me.

"Don't worry little brother. That girl has more to worry about than silly old me," She smileed.

"Adrian's got the big bad wolf in her house. And it's always hungry."

It was then Blaze became aware of the disappearing figure.

Capri's sense of humor was twisted.

Adrian's dress was blood red.

**7:00PM**

Blaze blasted music from his speakers as he stared at the bumps in the ceiling and thought about Adrian.

Mom told him to do his homework. When he tried to explain to her that it was the last week of school and that he didn't have any work, she yelled at him.

Somebody's pissed off.

Blaze's thoughts swiftly drifted from his mother to Adrian.

Her beautiful eyes. They were so different from the sea of brown he saw most days. They looked like the sky. Blaze could stare at them all day.

Blaze realized after that thought how idiotic and stupid he sounded. He liked her eyes? What was that!

Thinking time was once again interrupted as he heard a commotion from the floor below. Sighing, Blaze lifted myself up from his bed and slouched his way downstairs. Nobody ever wanted to miss anything big in this family.

From his view on the stairs, Blaze could see Ashler as he came in the door soaking wet leaning on his father. Blaze thought Ash looked like shit. He appeared half-way dead.

Wonder who caused that?

Blaze knew: Satan.

Everyone except Capri made an appearance in the living room where the young man now lay.

"Capri!" Jared bellowed. Dad shot a concerned look at Ash before impatiently hollering to the upstairs again. Eventually, Capri walked down the stairs passing me and looking absolutely at ease, even when she saw Ashler passed out on the couch that could barely fit the growing man.

"Yes?" she questioned innocently. Their father looked pissed.

"Ri, he's dying. He has to see you, okay? I know you don't like it, but it's for the best so-"She cut him off.

"This is just practice," she shrugged nonchalantly.

"For what?" Jared was becoming impatient now.

"College," she replied. Oh, Capri's good. Her dad couldn't tell her to _not_ go to college.

"You don't need to practice _now_." And with that, Dad strode towards Capri, grabbed her hand, and basically shoved her onto Ashler since there was no more room on the couch. "Just wait a few minutes; he'll wake up."

"Come on; let's go," Jared ushered the rest of his children out of the room.

Blaze heard hushed voices from the other room. As far as he could tell, most of the dialogue was coming from Ash. He glanced over towards the kitchen to find his father making out with his mother. _Gross._ Could they get a room?

Kaden had returned to his attention back to his phone. He was texting his girlfriend or something. Venus was oddly watching the living room with a vigorous curiosity. And maybe worry. Blaze would have asked her, but his mind was forever wandering to Adrian. Blaze hated that she dominated his thought. Next time Blaze saw her, he would give her a piece of his mind. Although, he didn't know how to complain to her without seeming like a total creepy weirdo. _Yeah, I hate you because I can't stop thinking about you and your dumb eyes. _

That night, Blaze could not sleep. He knew that in the morning, he would be dead tired. It's summer soon, though. Maybe he might get to see Adrian again, and they can hang out.

Blaze decided to break up with Sarah.

**A/N: Review Please.**


	6. The Best Friend

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

** All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 6: The Best Friend**

**Ashler's POV: Monday, May 24, 2024**

**9:00 PM**

This weekend has been the shittiest three days of my life. Capri had rejected me. She had blatantly denied the imprint between us and discarded any previous relationship we ever had.

Once upon a time, Capri and I had been friends. Actually, we had been best friends, and it killed me to know that we had grown far enough apart over the years that the separation between us had not been noticed on my part until I imprinted on her. That was just downright sad.

Sadder, even, were the feelings I had these past few days. The initial separation from Capri had brought up a gut-wrenching pain in my heart. It had only gotten worse as the days progressed.

I was thrown into the agony of withdrawal. Time passed ever so slowly and by the time Monday arrived, I was a mess. School was hard and I could not study for my upcoming finals.

I refused to watch Capri from afar as my father had suggested earlier.

"_It would do you both some good." _

Yeah, stalking her was the best idea. Not. Seriously, my family was filled with creeps. I love Capri, but I don't want to watch her through her bedroom window while she sleeps.

So here I am in math class, bored out of my mind, with a dull ache in my chest waiting for the clock to strike three so I can high tail my ass out of here.

2:59. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

I'm going to shoot myself.

Tick. Tock.

3:00. Thank you, Jesus. Grabbing my things, I rush outside. I throw the few books I brought in the front seat and start up my car. It was an old, crummy piece of shit; I loved it. Driving away, I spotted an upset looking Kaden and Capri speaking calmly to him. Even with my now enhanced hearing, I couldn't pick up one word of their quiet conversation.

I was jealous. Everyone else in the entire goddamn world was able to talk to Capri, but she wouldn't even grant me a passing glance. Fuck my life.

Anger built up inside me so rapidly and aggressively, that I was forced to pull over and dash into the woods. A familiar heat blew through my blood as I ran swifter. Tingles surrounded me entirely and it felt as though my body folded into myself. It wasn't exactly painful, honestly. The best explanation I could give to this feeling was anger. Anger was the emotion that triggered the reaction. To control phasing, you have to control your anger. I quickly adjusted to the new form and began to jog on all fours.

Running was my greatest skill in this new life. Actually, it's the only thing I'm good at. So, I do what I do best. Run. And I run. And then I ran some more. As time passed, the sky turned dark and rain began to fall from the sky. I used to like rainy days. Now, they were repetitious and I took the rain as an omen of sorrow. Bad things always happen on rainy days.

The sting in my heart was steadily growing and it soon felt as though there was an open flame cooking my heart from inside my body. I knew one thing absolutely then: I needed Capri. I need her right now. Therefore, I used the last bit of strength I possessed after my marathon and ran to Capri's house.

Jared saw me first, running up his driveway naked and sopping wet. He gave me a look of pity before retrieving a blanket and some of his clothes. I thanked him while he led me to the couch, and I collapsed in exhaustion.

Faintly, I could hear voices. A weight was put on my chest, but at the moment, I could care less. The pain had subsided and I was so tired. I just wanted to sleep, which was something I attained very little of these days.

Later, I opened my eyes. My gaze was met by a pair of shining blue eyes and a neutral, beautiful face. These belonged to none other than Capri. And she was straddling me.

I was in heaven.

"You're wet," she said. I rolled my eyes. Thank you, Captain Obvious.

We were silent then. In the background, I could make out noises from her family in the other room. Capri opened her mouth as if to say something, but stopped and looked down defeated.

I grabbed her chin and made her look at me. Her eyes were cold and dead, same as always. I was no exception to the blank looks. I was not special to her; I'm just another face.

Yet, I could not help but love her. Always have and always will. When I was five and when I'm eighty-five, love was and will be a constant emotion directed toward the girl in my arms.

And she would never be mine.

**Cassidy's POV: Friday, May 25, 2024**

**7:23 AM**

Luke and I are waiting for Capri at the end of our driveway. Her family got her a jeep for her birthday. I am so jealous. My sixteenth birthday wasn't even mentioned at my house. Luke was the only one in my family who even remembered.

Capri pulls up and we pile in: Luke in the back and me in the front. The music playing in the car was some sort of rock genre. I look at the CD.

"The Runaways?" I ask curiously. Capri shrugs.

"They're good."

"It's the last day of school," I say to her after a moment.

"So I've heard."

"Got any plans?"

"Jessica's party."

"So we're going to that. I heard there'll be a keg." Capri nods. Sweet. I don't censor anything in our conversation because I know Luke won't tell. Though we're talking, it's mostly me keeping up the exchange. Capri doesn't talk much these days. Sometimes, I forget what it was like before her downfall. Her sinking depression that it seems nobody noticed except for me. Capri hides her feelings well.

I've tried, over the years, to help her. But, I've found that no amount of pep talks or support can alleviate the permanent cloud of invisible despair that is forever found around her. On the outside, we look close. I know, though, that I can't remember the last time I felt as though I really knew Capri.

I'll never give up, despite the fact that it seems futile to help. Capri has always helped me. Even now, when she scarcely speaks, I know that she would assist me in doing anything, no questions asked.

That's what I love about her. You may give up on her, but Capri will never give up on you.

**12:38 Am**

I was right: Jessica's party _is_ sweet. It has everything: guys, beers, a keg, beers, more guys.

Lots of beer.

I'm wasted. It's a special occasion, I deserve it. I passed the tenth grade! Alcohol is a given.

I better get home soon. Luke's waiting. I spot Capri getting groped on the couch. I wave a goodbye to her and shout "Whore!", but she only laughs and waves bye as well. I'm giggling all the way home while stumbling and falling on the gravel a few times.

When I arrive home, it is dead silent. My parents stopped caring when I came home a while ago, so I have no qualms about the noise I make.

I collapsed on the couch because I am unable to get my drunken body up the stairs. I faintly recall Luke climbing onto the couch with me. I sigh in content in my half-asleep state.

In the morning, I have a killer headache, the need to puke, and a little boy who wants nothing more than to be loved in my arms.

**Jared's POV: Saturday, May 26, 2024**

**9:21 AM**

I hold Kim's hand under the table as our family eats breakfast together. Well, our family minus Capri. She isn't feeling well this morning. I gave her some Tylenol and told her to go back to bed. It must suck to be sick on the first day of summer.

"What are your plans for today?" my wife asks our children. She always worries they'll get in some sort of trouble, but I know we taught them better. They aren't stupid enough to get mixed up in the trouble some teens partake in.

Blaze: Hanging with Adrian.

Kaden: I'm going to the movies with Greg and Francesca.

Venus: Going over to Haley's.

I don't know who half those kids are, but Kim seems to, so I guess it doesn't matter. When breakfast is over, I offer to so the dishes which earned me a kiss from Kim and thank you's from around the table.

As I clean up all the plates and cups, I look out the window. The sun is beating down on La Push: a good omen for the rest of the summer. I take a breather from cleaning and lean on the sink. I'm getting old. Capri's graduating in two years. My baby girl is so old. She's sixteen. Kaden and Blaze are now officially in highschool. Venus is in the seventh grade. God, when did they all grow up?

At least I know I raised them well. I taught them right from wrong and I love them. I love my life, and I'm grateful for that. Some people hate life and living. I'm happy to say that I live a healthy life with a beautiful wife and kids. Sometimes, though, I think I'd like to go out and get stoned and not worry about bills and life and consequences.

I want to go back to when Emily was the one feeding me and washing my dishes. I want to be a kid again.

Picking up more dishes, I start to clean.

Kim walks in and wraps her arms around my waist from behind. She leans into my back and I chuckle. I stop regretting my life as soon as I see her face. She's my everything.

"When did we get so old?" she says. I laugh and reply with a better question.

"When did we stop being young?"

We laugh together in pity and nostalgia. When indeed?

**Kim's POV: Saturday, May 26, 2024**

**12:55 PM**

The room has a beach theme. The walls are blue and the floor is a light wood. Her bed is blue and pale and orange and all the colors of the summer. Capri painted beautiful pictures on the walls of flowers and the sun. There is a colorful rug at the base of her bed which is beneath a chest I have never opened. I had by no means wanted to be one of those parents who took it upon themselves to snoop in their children's lives.

"Sweetie, come on, you need more medicine," I say to her as I shake her awake. She moans and grasps her forehead in pain as she comes to. I rub her back soothingly. "It's okay, honey. We're going to dose you up. You'll feel better soon; I promise." We sit there for a moment or two waiting for my husband.

Jared comes in then with a glass of water and two small red pills in one hand. In the other is a bowl of chicken noodle soup.

"Hey, you doing okay?" he asks, strolling towards us. Capri takes the water and medicine swiftly, not answering his question. Jared handed her the soup, but she shook her head. "You have to eat something."

My daughter sighed before grabbing the chicken noodle from Jared. We both smiled at her short-lived stubbornness. I reach down to hug her, but she moves away quickly. I smile sadly and get up to leave.

I feel like a failure as a mother. She never talks to me anymore. I remember when she used to love me. When she was little, I know she did, even if her love was brief. Someday, I hope to feel it again. I wonder what I did that made her stop. Was it something I said? Did I raise her wrong? What?

My thoughts wrap me up and drag me into a memory from long ago.

_The snow is falling from the sky as though it was in a hurry to reach the ground. I am sitting outside with Capri on my lap. She is only two. It is just her and me; Jared is on patrol. Back then, we lived in a small, white house. The perfect size for the three of us._

_ Capri is gurgling on about what she did that day to some imaginary friend of sorts. Suddenly, the adorable smile that rarely leaves her disappears. I become worried and look down at her._

_ She points at me and says, "Mama." I nod in agreement. _

"_My momma?" she asks in a question._

"_Of course," I tell her. Whose other mother would I be? Capri, deep in thought, puts her finger on her chin._

"_Not Elaine's mommy?"_

_I am frozen. Elaine. That was the name Jared and I were going to give Capri when I was pregnant, but when I gave birth, something changed my mind._

_Capri was a stillborn. She was not breathing and was announced medically dead. With no pulse, she was put in the glass crib they have at hospitals. We were all turned away in grieve. Absolute silence enveloped the area._

_And then, a single noise pierced the room. It wasn't a cry really but a sound of sorts. I couldn't describe it, really._

_The doctors and Jared and I looked over to the crib. The baby had been born with dark skin, black hair and brown eyes. Lying in the crib, though, was a silver-blonde haired baby with tanned skin and ice blue eyes. Everything was the same, save for the coloring._

_She looked like my mother. The baby was an absolute replica of her. I hadn't seen my mom in years because she had attempted to kill herself and others leaving her into a mental institution. That was when I was seventeen. Most days, I could swear to anyone that I hated her. Yet, on some days, like Christmas or my birthday, I feel myself missing her presence and the love she once gave._

_So, I named my first child after her. Capricorn Rose Cameron, my miracle baby._

_Elaine was the baby that died. Capri was the one who came back._

_I didn't have an answer for her, though. Whose mother was I?_

I didn't realize I was crying until I felt Jared's hands wiping the tears away. Don't cry, he told me. She loves you, it's just a phase.

Lies. A phase doesn't last almost half your life. When did I stop being her mother?

I collapsed into Jared. I needed to feel love in any form at the moment. My mother, my daughter, they both hate me. I kissed my husband with a renewed vigor.

After all these years, I had not once stopped loving him. He was my safe harbor, my rock.

In the contours of my mind, a small part of me still realized that his love would never be enough to fill the craving of love from a mother I barely had.

Even more tragic was that I couldn't even make up for it and give my love to my daughter because she stopped accepting it long ago.

I didn't tell anyone.

It's the sixth anniversary of my mother's death.

She killed herself in the mental hospital on the sixth birthday party of her namesake.

**A/N: Please Review! **


	7. Perfect Love

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 7: Perfect Love**

**Capri: Sunday, May 27, 2024**

**8:04 AM**

Her head hurt. This much the girl knew. The reason she understood, as well. Sitting in her bed sick with nausea and aches all over, Capri decided maybe she shouldn't drink very much anymore. Then, the young woman chuckled quietly to herself, realizing this thought would never be accomplished. Capri loved to drink a good deal and felt it was the best past time she performed. Becoming drunk was nice, she thought. It made her feel fuzzy and warm and the things around her were less menacing and sharp.

Despite the slight dizziness, Capri removed herself from under the bedding and swung her legs over the side of the bed. A new bout of cold and lightheadedness hit her. She shivered as she looked out the window, seeing the rainy skies. I's supposed to be summer, she thought slightly annoyed.

The girl got up quickly and stumbled over to the painted white dresser to grab clothing. Slamming the drawer too loudly for her sensitive ears, she tumbled to the bathroom and into the shower. On the way, she spotted the used pregnancy test from the week before and decided she should dispose of it soon before it becomes a problem.

Usually, Capri took cold showers, but this morning she felt as though if she did not feel some sort of warmth, she would truly perish. Not that that would be a bad thing, she contemplated while washing her hair. If she were to die, maybe she could finally gain some peace. Then, she giggled at her own self pity before quieting her mind.

Fifteen minutes later, Capri was showered, dressed, and was mostly ready for the day. Her parents thought her to be sincerely sick yesterday, instead of actually suffering the harsh consequences of getting wasted to the point of barely being able to walk home. Speaking of which, she greatly hoped that Ash hadn't seen her. If so, she knew that speaking to him was imperative.

And at that thought, she sighed. Talking to Ashler was exhausting and a little annoying, if she was being honest. It wasn't that she didn't like him, Capri did, really. But, conversing with him made her want to speak more to the young wolf, and this was something the girl could not allow.

Straightening her hair, Capri thought of ways to find out if he knew where she was last night without actually speaking him. Sighing once again, Capri decided that she was going to play it cool until he gave her reason to do otherwise.

She smiled at the pretty girl in the mirror, fully realizing that it was the opposite of who Capri was on the inside. The real Capri was broken and bad. This Capri, the one who hid under the façade of perfection, was a person that was so far from flawless it hurt to look at.

So she didn't. Capri did not look at all.

**9:00 AM**

Checking the alarm clock on the side of her bed, Capri decided it was a reasonable time to go downstairs and visit her family. The girl walked along unhurriedly because Capri wanted them to think she had no care whatsoever about the breakfast they shared as a family, even though underneath it all, Capri cherished them more than anyone would ever know. It was one of the few family times that were mostly mandatory and so nobody could tell if she wanted to go there or not.

Everyone looked up as Capri entered, having already eating for at least a few minutes. She smiled faintly at her relatives before taking her appropriate seat at the pretty light brown dining table Kim had bought two years ago. Although Capri would never say it out loud because she found it ridiculous and too personal to share, she missed the old table she would play with Play-Doh on and was made to eat all her vegetables. Capri promptly pushed the thought away feeling it was too silly a notion to even think in her head.

She grabbed a plate from the center table and put on the pancakes her mother had baked and two pieces of bacon, as per usual. Today, the eggs were fried and Capri didn't like eggs unless they were scrambled or hard-boiled. Kim was a little disappointed because only she, her husband, and Venus were eating the eggs. Her mother was thinking maybe she shouldn't even make eggs anymore if no one is going to eat them. Capri smirked almost knowing what her mother was thinking, and grabbed a sum of egg on her plate before sitting back fully in her chair. The mother smiled, putting the bitter thoughts away. Capri discreetly fed the eggs to the family's dog, Buddy, who Capri named herself when she was five.

Jared and Blaze began talking in earnest filling the table with noise. Capri watched the rest of them laugh at her father's poorly made jokes and Blaze's tales of his embarrassing school days this past year. Her mother contemplated out loud what she should make for dinner at one point. Venus spoke about what she and her friend did the other day. After this, her father asked each one of them what they were doing today so they could know how much dinner to make.

Capri half-heartedly listened, not particularly caring what they did, because she mostly all ready knew. Capri knew everything; it was an undisputable fact.

"So what about you Ri?" her father asked, pulling her from her inner thoughts. This was the second time her father had questioned. Capri had better be careful; the girl was supposed to be listening, and if she wasn't, that could rouse unwanted attention from her father.

"I'm hanging out with Cassidy. We're going to the movies and I'm probably sleeping over so don't expect me at dinner," she replied in a nice voice. Jared nodded in approval and returned the smile his daughter gave him.

"Okay. Now, who's on dish duty?" Jared asked rubbing his hands together in anticipation of torturing one of his children. Getting them back for their diaper years was something Jared loved to do. He smirked when no one answered. "All right, then. Let's see. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe..."

He ended up picking Kaden, since he hadn't done it in a week. A snigger from Blaze had earned him the task of cleaning the kitchen. Stupid Blaze, Capri thought. He never knew when to shut his mouth. At least it got Kaden to smile, CApri noticed.

Capri watches. She watches her family and her friends and the people around her. Unlike some, she closely observes them, and this causes her to become worried. For example, Capri had been keeping a close eye on Embry lately. His girlfriend got knocked up and now she wants it gone. Of course, her uncle is head over heels for this chick, so it's kind of caused a problem in his mood. Evidently, though, Capri knew everything would work out in the end. Embry would get his happily ever after, and he would be married on August 1st this summer; he would have a baby boy named Dakota and he would help his wife, Valerie, get over the unneeded guilt of believing she killed her mother because she died giving birth. In Valerie's defense, her father had pretty much told her that lie for the first twelve years of her life before Child Protective Services took over for her welfare.

The baby would be born on November 30th and he would be 7 lbs. and 4 oz. Embry would cry the first time he saw his son's face and then he would kiss his wife for making him so happy.

Capri knows this because she knows everything. She knows the secrets Cassidy has been trying in vain to hide from her. The girl knows that Venus has cut marks on the tops of her thighs and a few on her wrists. They're so faint, not even the wolves can see. Capri knows that Blaze's knew love interest has a drunken father who only keeps her there for the check the government sends. And Capri knows that Kaden, her little brother, is feeling confused right now because he doesn't want to date girls.

Excusing herself from the table, she grabs her purse and exits the house. She puts the key in the jeep and revs it to life. While backing out of the driveway, she sees Venus at the table tugging a long sleeved shirt over her wrist. Guess there's a fresh cut, Capri thinks without emotion. The older sister understood that Venus has secrets to keep just like she did. She respected that, but nonetheless, she watches Venus more than the others. Her little sister could kill herself doing that. If it comes to that extreme, Capri **will **be forced to step in. She hopes it never comes to that; Venus has enough information on Capri to successfully expose her to the family.

Thankfully, Venus has only brushed the surface on the issues that made her older sister the way she was. Capri wishes to keep it that way. The younger sister is convenient when she needs comforting, but other than that, the older sister doesn't converse much with her. The only thing Capri desires to do with her sister is to get her out of La Push and away from the feelings that make her hurt.

Protectiveness is a quality in Capri that was not only learned behavior but one she feels she was born with. This makes it hard for her to ignore the hurt emotions of her family. So, as a compromise to her instincts of caring for people, she looks after them all. That way, they never have to become attached to the broken girl. There's no point, anyway, because when she graduates, Capri is leaving with or without anyone's approval.

This is why it makes everything harder now that her old friend, Ash, imprinted on her. It was always a possibility, she knew, but Capri never once suspected it to be a person she once spent every day with since they were babies. It was a hard concept for her to accept because Capri is never once surprised; she was always one step ahead of everyone else. That is, until Ashler. The young woman feels utterly idiotic for not seeing the imprint in hindsight. Why else would Capri like him so much? Just because to many people, Capri was very likeable, does not mean Capri was fond of them in return.

With these thought swirling around her head, Capri parks her car in Cassie's driveway and walks up the stone steps to her friend's house. Signs of neglect are minimal but blatantly obvious to anyone who cares enough to look. The grass needs to be cut and the house's paint is peeling slightly. Cassidy's parent's car is beaten up and old. The blinds are closed and the curtains are drawn so that no one can see inside.

She steps inside the house without knocking because Capri knows it will not bother her friend. Capri hears Cassidy singing in the kitchen while most likely trying to scrounge up some sort of food for her little brother to eat, which is unnecessary because Capri stopped by the market on the way and bought eggs and hash browns and orange juice.

Cassidy squeals when she sees her friend holding the food. Usually, Cassie would become defensive and irritated that someone thought she needed help to take care of Luke, but this was _Capri_, and she never makes her feel bad about it. Each time she gives her groceries, the act is so casual that Cassidy doesn't mind.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Cassidy exclaims excitedly, kissing Capri's cheek. She flinches, but Cassie pretends not to notice. Cassie knows if she ever brought up the evasiveness of her friend, Capri would patently deny such behavior if she chose to answer that accusation at all.

Grabbing a pan, Cassidy begins to prepare breakfast. When the older girl asked Capri how she should cook the eggs, Capri answered with a solid reply. Scrambled eggs it was. The breakfast was almost finished, so Cassie hollered for Luke. Lucas didn't come down, so Capri offered to go get the young boy. The friend cooking hummed in approval and Capri went upstairs.

The freshly turned sixteen year-old climbed up the stairs with a sense of nostalgia. When the two friends were younger, they would play here all the time. On theses very stairs, they had taken the cushions from Cassie's couch and rode them like surfboards. Capri could almost see the younger versions of them running around the house with air-soft guns while Cassie's mother hollered at them to settle down and come eat dinner.

Back then, the walls were painted well and the grass was cut and Cassis's parents were almost always home for dinner. Now, as an older Capri slinked down the hallway of the upstairs, she wishes she didn't have these memories of that kind of love and friendship. It was hard to miss what you never had, but unfortunately for Capri, she had had it all. This being said, she pushed away every memory that hit her and continued on.

Luke was looking younger than he normally does, observed Capri. Normally, the child's face was etched with wear that shouldn't have been there for years to come. She shook the boy, gently at first before becoming more aggressive.

Eventually, Lucas opened his eyes to release upon Capri the prettiest color she had only seen once before, and that was on his own sister. There were many shades of brown in the world, and it was rare that anyone was allowed to see such a beautiful color. The difference of all the shades was something Capri could appreciate, having spent her entire life surrounded by seas of brown eyes. If you asked the girl to describe the color to you, she would not be able to. Capri only knew that the person these two decided to spend the rest of their lives with should feel blessed they would be able to stare into the pretty brown paradise for so long.

Because Luke was a morning person, it didn't take much to coax him downstairs. In fact, all it took was a grunt that sounded faintly like 'breakfast' from Capri before he bolted downstairs, ignoring the cold sting on his bare calves.

As they made their way down the steps, the scent of a well cooked breakfast it their nostrils, and soon, Lucas was drooling in earnest. It made Capri worried about how much her friend and her baby brother were eating. Though, Capri knew if she focused enough, she could tell you the exact amount and how much pain they had both been going through. But, the knowing girl did not wish to go down that road today. Not any day, if she had any say in it. It was hard to become detached from this situation if Capri allowed herself to feel too much.

Lowering herself on the bottom step, Carpi let all the memories of her younger years come to her, so she wouldn't feel tempted to do something else. She could smell the pasta that Cassie's mother, Daphne, made for her the night she fell on her arm and got a cast. She went to Cassidy's because her family was smothered her with protectiveness and Capri did not like at all to be smothered or protected. Capri could recall Cassidy's father, Tom, coming home work late one night to see his daughter and Capri curled up on the couch watching the next Friday the Thirteenth movie when they were seven, even though they had been told not to.

That night, her father had just laughed and kissed his daughter and Capri goodnight. This wasn't an odd occurrence; Tom had known Capri since she was a baby. That was the first night she had called Cassie's father dad. It had become a funny daily joke. Because Capri used to spend enough time there to call it home, she had begun to call Daphne and Tom 'Mom' and 'Dad'.

Humming quietly to herself, Capri permitted emotions to flit through her: a rare occurrence. Mostly because Capri hated pain and hurting, and her feeling would mean that. Capri wasn't exactly what you could call passive aggressive-she spent some of her free time at a gym and a kickboxing center- she hated when people were hurt. Capri hated hurting people and that included her. So, in general, it was better for her not to feel. The idea was justified, and if she kept telling herself that, it would be true.

Slowly, Capri made all the feelings go away, leaving only a mild distaste for the house's state and a hunger for scrambled eggs. Cassidy made a mean scrambled egg.

And then, all her thoughts were interrupted by something Capri didn't want to say right now, even in her own mind. She stood up and looked at her friend and Luke and she sighed. Capri sighed a lot these days

Sauntering over to the table, Capri plopped her body in Cassidy's lap and gave her a look she knew well.

"Hey sexy, you come here often?" asked Capri in a low, come hither voice. Cassidy laughed and was grinned because Capri was being playful and it didn't happen often enough.

"Why no, actually, I don't. But, if you do, I'd be happy to."

"Can I have your scrambled eggs?"

"Nope," Cassidy replied, popping the 'p', but continuing after she saw the look of mock hurt on her friend's face. "But, there is a plate with your name on it over there on the counter," she said, pointing to the place where the plate lay.

"I love you!" she exclaimed, placing a wet kiss on Cassie's cheek before hoping up and grabbing the food.

"What's up with you? Five seconds ago you looked bored out of your mind."

"Today's about to get a whole lot more interesting," Capri muttered. "Let's just eat and have fun while we can." There was a finality in her tone that Cassidy knew she would never argue with. So, she went and put her happy face on, for Capri's benefit.

Later, they went out to the beach and bought Luke ice cream. Capri declared it to be a good day, and so it was. Cassidy hadn't seen her baby brother smile this much in so _damn _long it hurt to think about. It made Cassie sad and happy at the same time. Ri flirted two beers from a few guys having lunch on the beach at the same time. One for Capri…and apparently another for Capri. According to her, Cassidy needed to stay absolutely sober for the day.

It was after sunset and Cassidy though the sky was pretty and dark. This was the last thought she had before her eyes met dark brown orbs that stared so deeply into her that it almost scared her.

On that night, Brady Fuller was walking home from his job at the local bar. Bartending was one the few things Brady did better than anyone he knew. Although he himself felt it was time he got a real job, Mr. Fuller knew that he had more important duties than getting a real career. This job paid the bills and allowed him money enough for food and shelter.

His final thought before he was forever tied to his niece's best friend was that he really hated his boss.

Capri turned her face away from the newly imprinted pair so they wouldn't be able to see the sad expression on her face. Not that it would have mattered because the couple was so caught up in each other; Brady barely noticed his niece, and Cassidy had long forgotten her anyways.

Her friend had always wondered why Capri always went to Cassidy's house and didn't once invite her over. Capri did not take Cassie to family gatherings or to dinners or even to her own birthday party. Capri didn't want anyone to take Cassidy away from her, even if it was selfish. Very few could call themselves her friend these days, and it was clear that Capri was lonely. Besides, who was going to be Capri's drinking buddy now?

Feeling nothing at all, Capri shoved her hands in her worn, faded pants pockets and walked away absolutely unnoticed; just the way she liked it.

On the stroll to Cassidy's house to get her jeep so she could go to Forks or maybe Port Angeles to get smack faced drunk, she thought about how to make it so that nobody would know about her late night habits. After all, Cassidy is imprinted to her uncle and that causes quite a few problems. No doubt Brady will be watching her friend like a hawk-or more like a wolf- and soon Cassidy will be spilling all her secrets to this man. Some, that include Capri, and she just couldn't have that, no could she?

Oh well, Capri thought, at least I made Cassie's last day of freedom sort of fun. It was sad, though, that Capri wasn't able to let her have one last guilt-free beer.

**Monday, May 28, 2024**

**5:45 AM**

The extremely hung-over young woman rolled on her side to have her face meet another body's chest. A very nice, well-muscled chest, but one that Capri didn't particularly want to see at the moment. Her naked body was tangled in the stranger's sheets and it smelled of sweat and smoke and sex. She took a few moments to just breathe before getting up and marching to her purse. Capri pulled out a morning after pill and swallowed it dry, throwing the little silver wrapper in the man's trashcan.

His apartment was medium-sized, and nicely decorated with the touch of a woman. Carefully, Capri glanced over at the sleeping man and saw a golden band on his left hand. As quietly as she possibly could, Capri leaned over the trash and puked. This always happened when she found she slept with a married man. It didn't happen often, but it didn't matter. Capri knew she was a horrible human being; she hated feeling like a home-wrecker. Then, in a bout of masochism, Capri let herself see in a way she only could to find that his newlywed wife was pregnant and spending the night at her parents because the couple had gotten in a fight. But, Capri knew they would make up, and have the baby in eight months and twenty-three days and the man would never tell his wife, Kelly, that he had cheated on her with a sixteen year old, not even when he died of lung cancer at the age of sixty-two.

Capri wretched up into the can again.

Grabbing her clothes swiftly and efficiently, she got dressed and stole all the money in the man's wallet and his pack of smokes, as if it would make up for both their sins. Capri bought her breakfast with that money at Joe's Dinner, and ate chocolate chip pancakes and scrambled eggs. After eating, she smoked half the cigarettes because it made her feel so goddamn good. Then, she found a local Wal-Mart and gave herself a sponge bath in the ladies bathroom and bought a toothbrush and toothpaste for her teeth. She also bought a small bottle of body spray to cover the scent of last night's activities from the sensitive noses of her family.

Capri used her secret to find where her jeep was. It was at a shoddy motel on Fourth Street in Port Angeles. Capri wondered all the places she had been last night, but thought better to dwell on it. Some things were better left unknown.

When she finally got back home, it was ten thirty on the dot, and breakfast was over. No one was home, either, which confused her. Weren't her parents supposed to be worried about her where the hell their daughter had been? After all, Capri had been unaccounted for a whole night. She hadn't even thought of an excuse yet on the matter of where she had gone. Usually, she was so careful and always had an alibi. At least with her parents gone, Capri had time to think.

And think she did. After about twenty minutes, she decided that she had spent the night at Erin's house, and forgot to call. Now, all Capri had to do was call Erin to make sure she would back her up the excuse; Erin was always understanding, bring a fellow partier, and would most definitely have Capri's back.

But, Capri's parents were already walking through the door before Capri could press call. She swallowed thickly and reminded herself it didn't matter if they knew, because Capri could leave whenever she wanted to. It wasn't ideal, she preferred to attain her diploma first, but she had a packed bag ready and a stash of money and a car. What she couldn't admit to herself, though, was that she would miss her family. Because, no matter how much Capri told herself and others she didn't care, Capri loved them more than her own life. If she were to die tomorrow protecting her family, then Capri wouldn't have one care in the world.

"How was last night, sweetie?" she herd Kim say from the foyer. Oh, just peachy, mother, I slept with a married man, and probably a few others, how was your night, Capri thought bitterly.

"Fine," Capri replied; if they were going to play it cool, then so was she. The girl was surprised, though, because she was more expecting screaming and crying. Oh, well, better this way, Capri supposed. Her mother was smiling brightly.

"I can't believe it! I mean, I never suspected at all, did you?" Kim said happily sitting on the couch next to her distant daughter. The question on her face made the mother continue. "You know, dear. About Brady imprinting on little Cassidy, right?" Of course, she knew, though for the life of her, Capri couldn't find one reason for her to call Cassidy little. Cassidy was five 'eight, towering much over Kim and about two inches over Capri, herself. Also, hearing the words imprinted associated with her friends name made her feel sick to the stomach. And then when her mother rambled off, and her father got a beer and began to watch football, she realized her friend had covered for her.

Not even pretending to listen to her mother, Capri pulled out her old, worn cell-phone, and texted a much deserved 'thank you' to the only friend she felt she could even partially lean on.

Also, Capri was half pleased and half peeved that her parents barely looked long and close enough to realize Capri was wearing the same clothes as yesterday and wasn't wearing the bra she forgot at the man's house. Maybe they had looked, but they were lying to themselves to feel better. Either way, Capri's mission of separating herself from her parents that was started so long ago was now completely achieved. So why did the thing Capri had worked so to attain make her want to cry for the first time in her life?

Carpi never once cried, not when she was born, or when she fell down time and time again, or when she once hit her Uncle Jake so hard with a baseball bat that they both got a broken arm. So why in the world could one passing glance, or lack thereof from just two measly people make her want to cry like the child she never got to be? It wasn't until the summer was over that she had the answer to these questions.

And until then, Capri allowed herself not one single tear.

**A/N: Reviews Please! Thanks to **_**livebyinsanity**_** and **_**BlackRosesNeverDie666 **_**for reviewing! :p**


	8. The Importance of Freshly Cut Grass

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 8: The Importance of Freshly Cut Grass**

**Brady**

**Saturday, May 26, 2024**

**5:59 PM**

It was Brady's day off work, and dear God did that make him happy. He was almost giddy, a quality in him most thought made the man more annoying than usual. But today, Brady could really care less because it was _his day off, _and he should be able to enjoy it any damn way he thought himself entitled to. So, whistling merrily down the dirt road out of the woods with his hands in his pockets, Brady decided to take some time to smell the damn roses, because that was poetic and deep, and Brady wanted to consider what it was like to be like that.

On his jovial stroll, Brady spotted the remains of the burnt down, extremely tiny shack, for lack of a better term, that Kim and Jared once lived in with their daughter Capri before their twins were born. It was strange, the burning of the home, because the fire had been extremely contained and hadn't even touched the greenery surrounding it. Brady thought perhaps assessing explanations to oddities such as that to be deep, but it became too hard to think of plausible reasons and so he tried something else.

The day before the man imprinted, he noticed a much neglected front lawn. Freshly cut grass was important to most homeowners, and more important to ones who wanted to keep questions from being asked. So who was so careless that they left their grass _that_ overgrown; it was almost as if these people did not care if they got caught doing something bad or not. Brady guessed that was the most probable explanation.

Brady stopped on the road outside that home, then, because it seemed imperative he do so. He took his hands out of his pockets, and it was one of the few moments in Brady's thirty one years that he donned a serious and sad expression. Because Brady saw a young boy walk from the house looking hungry and a little lonely to say the least, and Brady knew better than anyone what it felt to be that boy. He watched unabashed as the boy scurried to get the newspaper and run back inside so he didn't have the strange man's eyes on him. The boy had learned that it was never good to be in someone's attention.

This made the wolf-man even sadder, but he didn't interfere. His reasoning was mostly because out of the corner of his eye, Brady spotted a strong looking, pretty girl of about sixteen or seventeen grab the young, scared boy and began to glare at Brady. Brady grinned and began to whistle in earnest while shoving his hands back into his pockets and continued on his leisurely walk.

See, Brady could be as serious as the next guy when he wanted to.

Or at least that was what the over-muscled man was thinking before he saw a squirrel and began to laugh at it because Brady liked to laugh, and he was bored, so why not? The squirrel seemed slightly offended at the large man's snickers, so he ran off which only proved to make the man cackle louder.

Yes, Brady could be unquestionably serious sometimes, but unlike some he just chose to make life easier by rarely doing so. Life was so much more extremely fun when you were able to laugh at an unsuspecting forest animal and not care if that little girl riding her bike was staring at him like he was the newest addition to Crazy Town.

**Sunday, May 27, 2024**

**9:43 PM**

Sunday was a shitty day to be working at Beer, Bar-B-Q, and Beyond. Brady was almost finished with his shift which ended at promptly 9:45 this evening. It was 9:43, much to Brady's dismay, and not even glaring down the clock was making time go faster. In fact, it almost made time tick slower. Father time did not want to shit with Brady today, because it had been a rough one. The man didn't know what it was, but he was on edge, and his boss was pestering him and he was so mad that he was going to phase if he didn't leave soon.

For the time being, Brady kept his attention on cleaning. Brady actually liked cleaning, for some strange reason. But then, Brady had always been a bit odd. He felt accomplished when he was done scrubbing the tables and that made him feel happy. Maybe it was because Brady rarely ever felt accomplished these days, and that was why cleaning things was so appealing to him.

As the clock stroked 9:45, the man gathered his things and left the bar while his boss, Sheldon, was still harassing him with complaints. It wasn't Sheldon's fault, really. He too had bad day. His girlfriend of four years had dumped him that morning and he found his first gray hair during lunch. And, honestly, anyone with the name Sheldon was allowed to be pissed off at least at the fact their mother had named them so horrendously.

Another thing that upset Brady was that he had to walk everywhere nowadays. Brady's car had broken down a few weeks ago, and he was still waiting for Quil to finish working on it. If Jacob were there, his car would have been fixed by now.

Jacob Black was the Pack's Alpha. After the man had imprinted on Renesmee, the two groups of wolves had merged to become whole again, with Jake as their leader. Sam was established as the Beta, but last month when Ashler phased, Sam stopped. It was as though there was no more need to phase at all anymore for him. Ashler took over the position as Beta. But as of today, he was a fill in Alpha. Renesmee had become pregnant and the couple had to move in with Renesmee's family for the birth. Because of the odd genetics of the child, they agreed to stay there for at least the first year, but it's been three years and neither Jake nor Renesmee has come back. They said that due to the child's condition, it was going to be another two years. So now by default, the safety of everyone in La Push is in the hands of the sixteen year old boy with a fucked up imprint. Sounds dandy, right?

Angry thoughts about his fucked up car had the large man stomping down the streets with his fists curled up angrily at his sides.

Brady really hates his boss. _Stomp._

Brady hates Sheldon. _Mutter._

Brady loathes Sheldon. _More Stomping._

Brady thinks Sheldon should go to he-

Brady spotted the most beautiful eyes in his life.

Imprinting is a different experience for everyone. For some, it resembles love at first site like for Jared and Kim and Sam and Emily. There's child imprints like Quil and Claire and Jacob and Renesmee which brings out an almost brotherly protectiveness. For Paul and Rachel, Paul felt like someone punched him in the gut, and for Seth it was as though all the energy in the sun was placed into his body.

Brady's imprinting made him feel like some took out all his insides and made him hollow and empty. He couldn't move; everything besides the expressive brown eyes was blurred and grey. It escaped his attention that his niece was there or that Capri had left without a second glance. The truth was Brady didn't even look at Cassidy's face until she spoke a couple minutes later. All that he could was those eyes.

"Um…hello?" Her voice cut through the haze. It was the girl from yesterday, she was the one with the untrimmed lawn. She was the one who glared with a look of hatred as she pulled her brother inside. Glare. Hate. Did the girl hate him? Did she recognize him? What was her name? More spurts of questions plagued his mind the more he thought about it.

"Excuse me, but if you're going to keep staring, I'll be forced to punch you," the girl spoke in a way that made him worried. If she punched him, she was going to break her hand. If she gets hurt, then that would be a failure on his part. Brady had to talk to her, but he's scared. What if he says the wrong thing and then she'll hate him forever? The large man swallowed thickly and took a deep breath.

"You need to mow your lawn."

Oh shit. Brady knew he said the wrong thing by the surprised on the girl's face. Cassidy recognized him. It was in this awkward silence that Brady noticed a familiar little boy holding his imprint's hand. The boy was glaring at him and tugged his sister's arm to show what he had and what Brady didn't. _His_ sister. Brady narrowed his eyes and realized he was in for one hell of a long ride.

The newest imprint sighed and pulled a pack of Marlboro cigarettes out of her back pocket and smacked it a few times on her palm before taking a smoke out and lighting with a solid blue lighter. Brady's already narrowed eyes widened out in surprise. He didn't want her to do that. Smoking will kill her and take her away from him. After taking a long drag, she addressed Brady again while smoke filtered out of her mouth making pretty swirling patterns in the air around her.

"What's your name?"

"What's yours?" Brady asked not being able to resist the temptation of being annoying. She glared.

"We really gunna play this game, Mister?" Brady sighed.

"Name's Brady Fuller, Miss."

"Well, _Brady Fuller_, would you mind telling me why Capri hightailed her ass out of here at the first sight of you?" she asked. Brady was confused. Capri was here; Brady hadn't seen her. She must have slipped by when he was still in the imprint haze. Damn, Capri would have been very useful in this situation. Capri would have lessened the tension between the Brady and his imprint. Oh fuck, Brady suddenly grasped a shitty concept. Capri and his imprint were friends. Better yet, he knew who this girl was; she was Cassidy. His niece's best friend. Fuck.

"Capri's my niece."

That one phrase made Cassie go pale. So this was one her freak family members Cassie had never been allowed to see. The only people Cassidy had ever met were Capri's parents and her siblings, and that was only occasionally. Cassidy knew now why her friend never let her around them: they were freaks who never stopped staring at people.

The girl muttered a quick 'be right back' to the strange scary looking man. Cassidy pulled out her phone while walking a distance away with Luke in hand so she could call Capri in private to yell at her for ditching the girl with her creepy uncle. It went straight to voicemail so she strolled back to Brady to tell him that Capri had gone to a friend's house. Whenever Capri's phone went to messages instantly, it meant that she was going to get herself in trouble. Cassidy was her friend, and it was common courtesy to protect Capri. Cassie knew her family was strict, and besides, Capri always helped Cassie when she was in a rut. Even though Cassidy found complete justification in her actions, she still felt a slight guilt from lying to the adult. That was odd; Cassidy had never been guilty before.

After an exchange of farewells between the three, Cassidy headed home with Lucas in tow. Luke was quite perturbed. The man had stared at his sister in an odd way, and it left the young boy unsettled. Cassie was already leaving at night for parties with Capri. What if she made friends with the man? Luke would be forgotten in the old, dingy home more than before. He hated when Cassidy left him alone at night with his mother, though she never touched him anymore. Never looked at him. Only his sister loved him. What if she left too? Who would make him breakfast?

Cassidy's mind was elsewhere, completely oblivious to her quite shaken younger brother. Cassie was overrun with worry. She didn't like it when her friend went out to God knows where without her. One of these days Capri was going to go party and never come back and Cassie was scared that day was coming soon. The more she watched her best friend, the more apparent Capri's behavior of leaving became. Capri has a car now, money, and was old enough to work. She could leave whenever she wanted.

While feelings of possible abandonment flitted through the two siblings, Brady continued walking home with a rejected demeanor. Hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched and head downcast, Brady was the picture of sadness. His imprint didn't like him. Well, that sucks. The large man's feet unconsciously sent him to his former Alpha's house. Brady didn't bother knocking before entering the house he spent the greater half of his teenager years in.

When Brady saw Sam's oldest son Ashler sitting on the worn blue couch which reminded him of Cassidy's lighter, he trudged forward and sank down to sit with the younger wolf. Ashler looked up from the television he wasn't actually watching to Brady's face and winced. Ash knew that expression anymore.

Ashler let out a gruff, "You too?"

A slight nod from the older man was all Ashler needed to know. The two settled into a comfortable atmosphere with the television blaring old cartoons to keep them from thinking of the rejection from the most important people in their lives.

Ashler's two younger sisters came down then. Karli who was twelve raced downstairs with a four year old Jaycee hopelessly chasing after her. Their girlish laughter helped fill the void of the men's hearts leaving both smiling before hoping up to play with them.

Later, after Brady told Sam of the imprint, he went home to a house that seemed colder than yesterday. Brady knew what would make it warm again, but he also knew that wasn't happening any time soon. _A man can hope, though_, Brady thought before climbing into his bed.

A man can hope.

**A/N: Sorry about the late update. I haven't had time to work on it. As always, please review. I like any criticism. And also, I'm rewriting the first few chapters so just wait a little longer for Chapter Nine.**


	9. Scary Is Big Sister

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 9: Scary Is Big Sister**

**Kaden**

**Saturday, May 30, 2016**

**3:01 AM**

The young boy lay awake on the bottom bed of the bunk he and his younger twin brother shared. Blaze was asleep, his snoring softly reaching Kaden's ears in a comforting way. There was a noise coming from the hallway and the quiet melody of Blaze's snores soothed him. But, Kaden was still a bit afraid.

He had an adventurous streak, though, which is what led him off his bed and onto the rough carpet of his shared bedroom. Moonlight streamed into the room in slivers through the blinds on the window giving Kaden just enough light not to trip on all the toys that lay scattered across the floor.

Silently digging through the bucket of random toys and miscellaneous other objects found in the corner of the room, Kaden extracted one of those tiny pocket flashlights. Armed with the tiny light and his blanket for protection, the five year old boy tiptoed over to the door, stubbing his toe on the way. He slowly creaked open the door.

It was dark for a moment before his eyes adjusted. At first, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Glancing around a second time, though, Kaden spotted a small dark figure standing near the window at the end of the hallway. He heard a quiet murmuring coming from the dark blob.

The fear slowly inched its way back into Kaden's body. But then, the curtain moved and a stream of light caught on the strange things face.

_Capri._

It was only Capri. She must have gotten up for water or something. Smiling at his foolishness, Kaden padded across the hall to his sister. He opened his mouth to talk. But when he arrived in front of her and took a good look at her face, his breath caught in his throat and he was unable to speak.

There was something horribly wrong. There always was something weird about his older sister. Something terribly odd. Maybe evil. And at the moment, Kaden came face to face with what it was.

Her face was blank, a harsh contrast to her normal smiles and laughs. Capri's lips were moving fast and nonsense words spewed from her mouth. Hands clenched into fists and shaking at her sides with knuckles white as snow. Pale blonde hair spilled over her shoulders and down her sides in absolute disarray.

But the thing that was probably the most utterly terrifying were her eyes. Most times, people saw them and thought how pretty they were. Some days they appeared to be the bluest ocean and some days looked as pale as ice. That night, though, they were liquid. An unreal neon blue that seemed not solid at all. Most horrifying was the fact that she had no pupils. The little black dot that appeared in people's eyes was gone. Nonexistent. Just orbs of liquid blue pouring in the tiny circle.

Stumbling backwards, Kaden was absolutely scared of his older sister. What was she? What was wrong with her? Was she possessed by a spirit? Kaden had heard of a story like that from Billy Black at a bonfire once. He wondered if he should wake up his parents.

As that thought grazed his mind, a cold tiny hind gripped his shoulder. The mutters continued and Kaden was trapped with the shell of Capri's body. Feeling helpless and caged, the boy squeezed his eyes shut and counted slowly to ten.

When he reached six, the hand slackened. He didn't dare open his eyes.

"Kaden? Kaden what's wrong?" Capri's voice probed him. He wouldn't look. He wouldn't look. He wouldn't look.

"Are you alright? What happened?" No answer came from the boy's mouth. He could hear from Capri's voice she was becoming irritated.

"Can you please open your eyes and tell me what's the matter with you?" No, he wouldn't open his eyes. She was scary.

"Fine."

And then there was silence. For a while, anyways. Rain began to gently pat the window panes and the sides of the house. It comforted Kaden like Blaze's snoring. They both happened every night and they both were constant. Always there.

Kaden opened his eyes.

He saw his sister sitting in a lounge chair placed by the window. The curtain was drawn back and she was gazing out at the rain as though it held all the answers in life. Kaden observed her, and found that her hands were limp her face had emotion and the pupils were back in her eyes which were now a deep blue color. With a sigh of relief, Kaden pulled his knees to his chest and waited. Neither spoke.

They watched the sun rise together. It was the first time Kaden had done so and he thought it was probably the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The sky was dark then light then a soft pink, constantly changing colors. Capri looked at it with as much vigor as he, but with a look that told him she had seen this before. Kaden briefly wondered how many times she had been in this situation.

After the sun was up and it was bright, Capri spoke.

"What was wrong with you? Kaden, you looked like you saw a ghost or something."

Huh? Didn't she remember? Kaden was so confused that for a moment he was sure his eyes crossed while he thought of possible explanations. After a few minutes, he decided he was probably dreaming. This was his sister for goodness sakes! It was only Capri. Nothing odd about that.

"Nothing," he replied though still unsure of what actually happened.

"Okay, if you say so." And then they continued sitting and watching the sky through the window. Kaden enjoyed his big sister's company. It made him feel special when she singled him out.

Their parents woke later and found the two of them staring dreamily out the window. Jared and Kim gave each other a 'what-the-hell' kind of look before Kim went to go make breakfast and Jared went to get Venus from her crib.

Later Kim called upstairs for the kids to come down to eat, and Kaden and Capri picked themselves up and started to run downstairs. But before Kaden could reach the second step, which was his favorite because it creaked the loudest, a hand on his shoulder tugged him back, much like earlier that morning.

Capri gave Kaden a look that made him a bit afraid of Capri. It also made him aware that while her eyes were beautiful, they were also tired and lonely and full of much to wisdom for a girl who was only eight years old. The expression she passed to him was forever burned into his memory and no matter how old he got, he never forgot the thing she said to him.

"Please don't tell," Capri whispered.

And he never did.


	10. I'm the Hero of the Story

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

**A/N: Okay so I just wanted to thank **_**BlackRosesNeverDie6666**_** for reviewing again and also to **_**twilight 208 **_**because I was goignt o stop writing this story but I was really happy when I saw those new replies. So thank you!**

**Sorry about not updating so often. Things have been crazy. I just moved states and everything's been so chaotic.**

**Also, I've been fixing everything in the earlier chapters so that's been taking some of my time as well.**

**So thank you to whoever has been reading this because it makes me happy to know that somebody is.**

**Anywho, Chapter 10. **

**Yay! Ten chapters!**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 10: I'm The Hero of the Story. I Don't Need To Be Saved.**

**Capri**

**Friday June 1, 2024**

**9:25 PM**

The yellowed and cracked walls of the old bar surrounded Capri and made her feel slightly claustrophobic. Smells of alcohol and smoke mixed with sweat and some other offending stench she couldn't place- and also didn't really want to- penetrated the air along with a mustiness that enveloped the overall unattractive pub. Downing her second beer, Capri thought this was the perfect setting for her business tonight.

She was meeting with a vampire.

In her family, these creatures who took blood from others were horrible and terrifying beings. But to Capri, they were just another misunderstood person. A thing that was generalized far too often.

They were people in Capri's mind, but to her family vampires were soulless objects that were only there for the wolves' destruction. Yes, there were despicable vampires in the world. Yes, most of them were evil. Capri knew this and yet she promised herself to never judge one without first seeing what they had truly done. Did they hunt children or people who were on their death beds? Did the vampire draw out the death, or did that "leech" make it as swift and painless as possible?

A mostly corrupted, but misunderstood race that lived underneath the world to hide from the dominant population of humans found a place in the young girl's heart because she understood the need to hide and lie and do bad deeds.

Though Capri pitied the vampires as a whole, she was not naïve. Although she didn't harbor the same prejudices as others who were aware of this race's existence, Capri knew that most of the scarce race was truly horrible and unprincipled. The one she was seeing tonight was just that.

His name was Elyas and he was without a doubt one of the true monsters in the world. Originating from 1310, Elyas was an old and overall insane vampire.

And he was late, which made Capri regret ever agree to meet him at Madison Pub which was overrun by ugly drunks who were looking perversely at her. At least, she thought amusingly, she knew how to fight them off. If one thing went wrong tonight with Elyas, she would be his next meal without having a chance to defend herself at all. But, that was how Capri liked living. Always in the middle of life and death, a place filled with adrenaline and alcohol. Her favorites.

So when Capri checked her watch to find the vampire was now ten minutes late, she ordered a third beer. The bartender didn't ask for ID and she didn't give it. The beer tasted bitter, but the girl had acquired a taste for it long ago. Maybe being an alcoholic at the young age of sixteen wasn't an ideal life for most, but to the girl who was drinking a warm beer in an almost rundown bar with the stoned bartender name Fred giving her a sidelong glance every thirty seconds it was absolutely perfection.

When the vampire entered the bar, he drew the eyes of the few people who were still sober. Like any other of his kind, Elyas was beautiful in an inhuman way with his pale skin and perfect symmetrical beauty. The only thing not heavenly in his beauty were the bright crimson eyes which seemed to bleed the color red. It was obvious to Capri that Elyas had just hunted.

Elyas walked lazily to her, but in a way that showed her his strength. The need to show the sixteen year old the fact that he could kill her behind the old building- or maybe right in the middle of the bar- was unnecessary. She understood that to him she was just like a cow was to people: the next fat juicy steak. Except that this steak talked and didn't need A1 sauce.

With an arrogant smile on an otherwise blank face, he ordered a beer.

"You wanted to talk?" Capri asked before promptly taking a swig from her brand name beer. Elyas nodded.

"I hear that you know a friend of mine? Aldwin?" Elyas stated before tipping his bottle with hers and drinking the bitter alcohol. Capri was slightly surprised that he drank it. He would likely wretch back up the liquid before twenty four hours was up.

"I know Aldwin, though that doesn't explain why you wish to speak with me," Capri replied after downing the rest of her beer. Yes, Capri knew Aldwin. He was slightly more humane than Elyas, but both vampires were monstrous and Capri didn't like associating with their type more than necessary.

"But it does." The answer was direct and firm. Sighing before lighting a smoke, she decided to stop playing dumb and give the man what he wanted. But not enough of what he wanted to get herself killed. If she was useless to the vampire, Capri was as good as dead before the end of the hour. Should Elyas choose to follow her home, then the werewolves at the reservation would kill him.

Capri hoped he died for being late. Promptness was important.

"What is it you want to know?"

And while Capri told him the information, she saw that this would be the last night of his existence.

So, as the dim bar light fell on the pale skin of a man who in 1326 lost a beautiful wife and daughter while being forced into a life of loneliness and isolation, Capri started to pity Elyas. While his blood red eyes screamed killer, the sixteen year old saw what most people could not. A man who lost everything and eventually lost his mind because after almost seven hundred years of being frozen and cold, he still missed the family he once had so long ago.

Capri envied him despite this. Because while Elyas could miss being warm, Capri could not.

You cannot miss what you never had.

And Capri had always been cold.

She decided she would be his friend before he died. Everyone deserved someone like that. Someone who cared if they were living still. Elyas hadn't had someone like that for a while, and by the time they said their farewells at the end of the night, the old vampire almost felt bad that he was going to kill her.

**Saturday, June 2, 2024**

**4:06 AM**

Elyas was dead.

**5:47 AM**

She was going to make breakfast this morning. That seemed like the nice thing to do. And it was the only thing she could cook.

While her parents and siblings attended dinner at Paul's house and stayed late, Capri slipped home and scrubbed her body until it was raw. If her father smelled an ounce of vampire or alcohol on her body, there would be trouble.

Capri had just gotten the pans out for bacon and eggs, Jared came through the door looking as exhausted and tired as Capri felt. But instead, the daughter looked clean and fresh and ready for the day. Jared smiled wearily at Capri before slumping down at a chair next to the island in the kitchen.

Returning the smile briefly, Capri turned back to the task at hand.

"Tired?" the girl asked her father. Jared took a long time to answer.

"Just a long night. We caught a vampire. Tough son of a bitch. Collin was injured and so was Vince. Sam's takin' care of his boy while he heals. The leech crushed the poor man's leg."

"Are _you_ alright, Jared?" Capri probed while cracking as many eggs as could cook in the large pan. Two teenage boys and a werewolf along with three others were tough. Money was tight, as per usual around the reservation, and their family was no exception. They got aid from food stamps and the government but that wasn't enough to keep her father from working two jobs. Add that to the Pack duties and even Capri could understand the anxiousness from Jared as he pleaded to the spirits for one of his children to phase.

Flinching at the fact his teenage daughter no longer addressed him as her father, Jared felt self-pity course through the man before he put it to a halt. It was a phase, Jared told himself. It wasn't forever. One day, she would call him dad again. He had to believe.

But it had been so long. And Jared's patience was dwindling. He was her father, god damn it. And he had earned his title long ago. He changed her diapers and fed her and loved her and she couldn't even appreciate that. Not even through his name. It hurt Jared more than he'd like to admit, and the fact that Capri rarely spent time around him or even talked to him made Jared feel inadequate as a father and made the man want to try harder for Capri's affections.

But Capri's love was a harsh thing. It was rarely given and even more scarcely shown when attained. Being Capri's father didn't mean he had her undivided love. And although Capri knew exactly how much it pained Jared, she had little sympathy for him when little over an hour ago, he killed someone who had been her friend, even if only for a few hours. Even a friend that had planned on murdering her for knowing too much about him.

Jared shook his head.

"I'm fine."

And so the day went on as most did for the Cameron family these days. Breakfast came and went. Capri made some fake excuse to get out of the house. Blaze was going to Adrian's house. Kaden was hanging out with some friends. Venus made plans to spend the night at a friend's while wondering what exactly her older sister had been up to lately. They hadn't spoken really since her birthday. Kim was working part-time at a local drug store and Jared had to patrol.

Everything in La Push was constant. Capri hated the steady and normal.

She really wanted a smoke.

**12: 30 PM**

The old bell gave an odd noise as Capri entered the ice cream parlor. It was where she worked and where you could find the only person who knew Capri well enough to be counted as a real friend of hers. The old man smiled at his companion from his place behind the counter.

Capri graced him friend with a true smile. Not the false one she bestowed upon most. When the girl truly grinned, it was very beautiful. It made the man proud to say he had seen it.

His name was George. He was 79 years old and he ran the local ice cream parlor. George lived in the apartment above the store and Capri often went with him up there. The old man was always happy to see his young friend come visit him. George was wise as was usual in people as old as he. His voice cracked and his vision was bad and his legs didn't work well anymore, but he got around just fine and worked the shop just as well.

"Hey," Capri greeted. George smiled and turned back down to his book. "Watcha reading?"

"A book." Capri grinned at his answer and went to sit in one of the chairs located at the other side of the counter. The two sat in companionable silence and after Capri pulled out a tiny chapter book, they _read_ in companionable silence.

After a while, George asked Capri if she would mind playing the piano for him. The young girl agreed and up they went.

Long ago, Capri had learned that George Brown had had a wife named Rolanda who died many years ago. He had no children and the old man had never loved a woman since his late wife had passed on. It was hard being a man with no one to give your love to. It was hard to be lonely. It had broken the old soul.

Usually, two broken people together never make each other happy. Two imperfect halves didn't make a whole. Once in a while though, it happened, and Capri knew the loneliness that possessed George and on that, they had found common ground. Connected from years of solitude, they had found solace in each others company. A feeling had grown between the pair which made both of them feel not so alone anymore.

When Capri came to him in the middle of the night, wasted and puking, he let her sleep on his couch and kept a bucket under her chin. When George was missing his musical wife, Capri would play piano for him. Occasionally, she would sing. She had a pretty voice and it was a shame people didn't hear it often.

Their friendship was an odd one.

At thirteen when she had first met George, the girl had little ability to read or an understanding of anything she was learning. Capri had gotten through school cheating and lying. He had been the one to teach her to read, and it had been a hard journey. With her extreme dyslexia and her unwillingness to learn-at least at first- it had been tough. But even though Capri had thrown her books many times and screamed at them, she finally knew how to read. And for that she loved George. And George loved her.

This was a dangerous thing, though, to love George. Capri knew he would die before her. And she also knew it would hurt her because she had let herself love him. She loved George probably more than her father. Capri felt as though George was more of a father to her than Jared could ever be. Mostly because Jared could never know the truth, and partly because Capri felt he would never want to.

Once she was done with the melody on the grand piano which happened to be the most expensive thing in the man's apartment, Capri confided in George what she had done the night before. She always told him everything. It was sort of like a confessional to her, like telling a priest all the bad things you had done. Except George wasn't serving god, and Capri wasn't asking for forgiveness from any all-knowing being in the sky. Because frankly, the only all-knowing person she knew was herself.

And anyone could tell that Capri would never be a good enough person to be a god.


	11. Man These Times Are Hard

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

**A/N: Thanks for reviewing! I hope posting all these new chapters makes you guys happy.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 11:Man These Times Are Hard  
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**Venus**

**Monday, June 4, 2024**

**5:12 PM**

"Bye!" Venus yelled from her mother's car. She had spent the last two days with her friend Jane. Kim smile to Venus was missed by her as she continued staring out the window long after they had left. The overnight bag was slumped on the floor of the old minivan. Although there were many fine mechanics in La Push, the best had been gone for far too long.

"Something wrong?" Kim asked her youngest daughter slightly worried by the fact she wasn't animatedly chatting Kim's ear off. Venus threw a smile her mother, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"No. I'm fine," Venus replied in an innocent way. Kim who had raised four children and felt she could usually tell when one was lying decided to leave it alone. Sometimes some things had to be worked out alone.

The car ride was quiet and when they stopped at the grocery store for milk, Venus stayed in the car. She sat there with her head leaned against the glass window. It was raining again.

The truth was, Venus did not know why she felt so melancholy this morning. Perhaps it was that her sister had started ignoring her again. Maybe it was her feeling the strain of the Pack without its Alpha. It could have been a childish way of her getting attention from her family or just a bad day. Or it might have just been the rain.

Whatever the reason, Venus felt hollow and sad. Her mother came back with two, two gallon milk jugs and the pair continued home. At arrival, Venus grabbed one bottle and her bag and her pillow before running inside. Kim shook her head and slowly picked up the other milk jug and stuck her keys in her pocket.

Venus threw the milk in the fridge and ran upstairs. She bypassed Capri's room and came to a stop. The door was cracked slightly open. The younger sister knocked lightly on the door and called Capri's name. When no answer was returned, Venus pushed open the door expecting a cold look from Capri which would make her close the door and retreat.

But the room was empty. And there was no one to tell her not to go snooping around. The eleven year old tiptoed into her older sister's room, and while she snuck around, she didn't touch anything yet. At first, anyway.

Capri's room looked as hollow as Venus had felt this morning. The bed was perfectly made and the books and scrapbooks in the white bookshelves were neat and tidy. It smelled nice but it was a scent that could not be placed. There were sunflowers in a vase on her dresser as well some bamboo in a separate container by the window. The wood floor was vacuumed and the small rug in the corner of the room was clean. There were no clothes strewn about on the floor nor were there any empty water glasses or any type of mess at all.

Curious about the bookshelf, Venus knelt down and dared herself to pull a book off of it. Taking a deep breath, she snatched a scrapbook with pretty colors on the cover from its place on the self.

Inside were photos of Capri and some of Venus. The beginning held pictures of Capri as a little newborn and as Venus flipped through more of the pages, Capri got older. There was one of a four-year old Capri in Jared's fishing boots and hat smiling largely and another of Capri and Ashler holding hands sleeping on a blanket on the living room floor of Sam and Emily's house.

At the end there few pages were dedicated to each of the members of the Cameron family. Venus's had a picture of her as a tiny baby and one of her and Capri holding hands at First Beach. Others of Kaden sleeping in his crib sucking his thumb and a few of Blaze in the middle of a temper tantrum were found. What surprised Venus the most were the pictures of their parents. There were two of Jared and Kim before they got married and three of after they were married but before they had children. One of Kim when she was most likely pregnant with Capri and there were family photos.

The very last page was filled of photos of Capri and a few unknown men. Most she assumed were old boyfriends- because Capri had many- but the very last photo was one of an old man's head smiling brightly with a smiling Capri smushed in next to him so as to fit both of them in the picture. Venus wondered who the man was.

Just as she was about to the scrapbook away, a lone photo slid from the book. At first, she panicked because Venus didn't know where the picture came from and where she would put it. But when the girl grabbed it up and examined it, a small gasp escaped from her lips.

In the photo, Capri looked around thirteen or fourteen and was kissing a boy's cheek and holding his hand. Normally, this wouldn't surprise Venus.

But the boy was not human. He was a vampire. Venus saw all the signs: the pale skin, the inhuman beauty, the absolutely predatory look in his red eyes.

What was the girl to do?

Venus tucked the photo back into the scrapbook and shakily put it away. Because that was how people in the Cameron family dealt with their problems. They tucked them away and forgot them. Maybe that wasn't healthy or good, but it was what they did.

So, after Venus left her sister's room and left the door pushed open just a tad, she decided to forget.

Capri also decided to forget that she saw her little sister slinking around her room and that the door wasn't closed exactly how it was before.

Blaze decided to forget the dark bruise he found on Adrian's cheek.

Kaden, too, made plans to forget his slight attraction to the man that he saw walking along the sidewalk.

Jared decided to not remember how many vampires he had killed, and how some had probably had a family just like him.

Kim always made an effort to forget that on this day fifteen years ago she miscarried her second child. After that, Jared and Kim had been too afraid to name their children until they were born.

The Cameron's liked to forget.


	12. MrBug Befalls Tragedy

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 12: Mr. Bug Befalls Tragedy**

**Leila**

**Wednesday, June 6, 2024**

**7:34 AM**

Leila was a curious child by nature; she was always exploring the woods, even though she was scolded by everyone in the pack not to do so. There were just so many things to look at, and so many colors and bugs, Leila couldn't help herself.

An early riser, Leila got dressed while everyone else was still sleeping and grabbed her bug catching kit. Stepping lightly past her brother's room, she saw him spread out across his bed, Greg's mouth open and drooling. Leila giggled quietly before walking downstairs. She took her back pack- which was shaped like a butterfly- and took a water bottle from the fridge and a banana. Opening the front door soundlessly, Leila made her way into the forest.

**Kim**

**9:23 AM**

Humming to herself, Kim slowly mixed cookie dough while Capri sat at the kitchen table reading a book.

Suddenly, Kim heard a loud thump as Capri's book fell from her hands and onto the linoleum.

"Capri?" Kim asked, her voice tinged with concern. Her daughter's face was staring at the wall, her back to her, so she couldn't see Capri's face. "Are you all right?" Capri did not answer.

Kim repeated the question.

Her daughter sprang from her seat and ran through the kitchen and out the front door.

"Capri!" she yelled. "Where are you going?" Kim stood in the doorway of her house, a confused expression on her face as Capri ran out in the light drizzle into the woods.

**Leila**

**9:29 AM**

Finally! Leila had managed to capture a beetle looking bug. It was dark blue and it was squirming around.

"Don't worry, Mr. Bug. I'm not gunna hurt you."

As Leila looked at her find, a sinking feeling encompassed her. She heard a rustling and light footsteps coming towards her. Leila couldn't tell from which direction, so she put her back against a tree trunk and tried to hide among the brush, knowing she wouldn't be able to run fast enough.

_Is this what Mommy warned me about? Are the monsters coming?_

The footsteps stopped. Whoever it was had arrived. Leila, who just couldn't rein in her curious nature, glanced up and saw…

"Capri!" Leila exclaimed running up and hugging her. Capri wrapped her arms around her the child and didn't let go. Leila thought this was odd because Capri never hugged anyone back and became uncomfortable when people tried.

"Leila," Capri whispered," we need to go. Now. Okay, so just follow me, okay? It'll be fine, but we have to go n-"

The teen did not get to finish her instructions, however, because just then, a very pale woman came bursting into the clearing. The strange woman sniffed deeply and set her gaze upon the smaller of the two.

Licking her lips, the beautiful creature sighed, "Dinner."'

**Leah**

**9:33 AM**

The she-wolf awoke to a long, loud howl. Rolling out of bed with a loud thud, Leah ran down the stairs, leaving her husband and son in her wake.

The Pack had many different howls that meant many different things. This particular one meant their borders had been breached. Their own were in danger.

Phasing with a grace that could only be attained with years of experience, Leah slipped into the Pack link and the images she saw made her want to wretch.

Her daughter and one of the pack's imprints were being held hostage by a _leech. _How dare they threaten her daughter? Her baby.

_Leila_, Leah thought.

Through the Pack bond, Embry was trying to placate her, trying to tell her that she needed to be calm, or he was going to order her home. Leah couldn't see reason. That bitch had her Leila. You didn't threaten a she-wolf's pup without consequences. And apparently, not a wolf's either, because Jared was going ballistic.

Ashler, on the other hand, was keeping cool under pressure, even though the vampire had a hand at his imprint's throat.

Leah saw the scene unfold.

"Let them go," Ashler said, being the only one from the Pack in human form," You can leave, and we won't hurt you, but you need to give them back to us. They're ours." The woman glanced nervously around. She was surrounded, something she hadn't expected.

Leila had fainted and was being held up only by the strength of the vampire's hold. Capri kept no sign of fear or nervousness. She just stood there with the leech's hand wrapped around her throat, expression blank. Her eyes were fixed on Ashler, though.

"Or, I could just kill them both," suggested the beautiful woman. She had a slight French accent to her words. Her pale skin seemed to glimmer in the rain.

Ashler shook his head," You'd be dead in a second."

"You're going to kill me anyways."

Ashler shook his head again," We won't. I swear to you; as long as you leave here, and never come again, you will keep your existence." The woman laughed cruelly.

"And I'm just supposed to take the word of a stinking mutt. I think not." Ashler held his hands out in a diplomatic gesture, and asked the vampire a question.

"It's really simple. Either you find your meal elsewhere, or you die." The woman cocked her head and narrowed her eyes in thought. Then, she smiled.

"Are those really my only two options?" Ashler nodded his affirmation. The woman looked down at Capri," What do you think, girl? Which should I choose?"

Capri shrugged indifferently and said," I don't care." The vampire laughed again in the same cruel way, and she set her eyes upon Capri in appraisal.

"You seem like a real treat. And you smell pretty good, too. What's your name, child?"

"Susie," Capri answered.

"My name is Eleanor. Now let me ask you a very important question. Do you think they really won't kill me?" Capri breathed as deeply as she could with the woman's arm around her throat. After a moment's pause she replied.

"No."

Ashler, having been quiet thus far, growled at his imprint's answer. Was she trying to get herself killed?

"Tell me, is there anything I can do to get out with my life?" Eleanor seemed pretty interested in Capri now, her full attention focused on the girl. Capri closed her eyes and then nodded her head. "Really? Do tell?" Eleanor prompted.

"Well, you could let Leila go, and then take me as a sole hostage, run to the beach- and this is with the wolves following you- swim into the water and leave. Now preferably, I'd like you to let me go at some point, but that wouldn't affect you survival either way; you only need me until you get to the water, to be honest. And," Capri added, "If you take me with you, we'll be hunted down."

Faster than any normal person could fully comprehend, Eleanor dropped Leila to the ground and followed Capri's instructions.

Leah rushed over to her daughter, naked and human, and held her to her chest. She was sobbing uncontrollably when Leila finally opened her eyes. All thoughts of Capri flew out of the she-wolf's head as her daughter began to cry into her mother's shoulder.

**Capri**

**9:40 AM**

With a vampire dragging her through the cold seawater, Capri remained cool and impassive.

"You know," Capri told Eleanor, knowing she could her over the drowning sounds of the ocean," It would have been safer to leave me on the beach."

Capri heard a smile in the woman's voice as she replied loudly," I like you though." Capri mentally shrugged at hearing this. The wolves would close in on the vampire soon enough. She could've gotten away had she left Capri on the shore, but now her weight was slowing Eleanor down.

Eleanor remained blissful of this fact. She was ignorant of this up until her own death. A wolf's jaws clamped down on the vampire's throat, and Capri was released from the woman's embrace. Human arms caught her and dragged her back.

The girl was a little peeved at being man-handled all morning. She knew how to swim, in case anyone was wondering.

When she was properly on land, she looked to see who had brought her back. It was Ashler. Huh, Capri was sure Ashler would've been the one to kill Eleanor. Capri wasn't often surprised, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling at having been wrong.

"Thanks," Capri mumbled, but Ashler didn't seem to have heard. She was staring down at her with angry eyes, and he was holding her tightly around the waist.

"What were you thinking?" He roared in her face, not pausing for an answer. "You almost got yourself killed! What if you had gotten hurt?" As though this reality had finally hit me, he groaned and sank to his knees, burying his head into the top of her drenched stomach. "Oh, God, what if you'd been hurt? What if she'd_ bitten_ you?" What if…" His voice trailed off, and Capri felt hot tears slide against her.

Feeling awkward and sad and humiliated at the position, Capri clutched her imprint's head to her and let him cry.

_Just this once_, she promised herself.


	13. An Evanescent Peace

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related things belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related things belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 13: An Evanescent Peace**

**Capri**

**Friday, June 8, 2024**

**6:30 PM**

"I'm going!" Capri called back to George. Greg, Leah and Jay's older child, was celebrating his fifteenth birthday. Although a year younger than Ashler, he and Greg were best friends. The three of them, being the first children of the Pack, used to play together all the time. As they got older, Capri drifted away, making girl friends.

George walked out of the back room and smiled easily at her," All right." She kissed him on the cheek and walked out the door.

The roads of La Push were empty, and the sun set on the scene made everything look magical. Her footsteps on the pavement seemed to echo in her mind. Forest surrounded the place, and the trees leaned away from buildings and streets as though it were trying to run from humanity. A heady bout of anger flooded Capri's body.

_What the fuck?_

Capri was unsettled by this. Something about tonight was _wrong_ somehow; she could feel it in her bones, and Capri was hardly ever wrong. In fact, she herself could not think of one instance in which she had been proven incorrect. Smirking in vanity and trying to bury her illogical anger, Capri strutted further down the road to Sam and Emily's.

Upon entering, a few people glanced up and greeted her. Most of them didn't notice because of the fight that was taking place between Ashler and Sam. Both men had murderous expressions on their faces, and they were identical in fist curling and were trying to up one another in screams. They really did look quite alike, although Ashler had his mother's eyes and pretty hair. _Not that you could tell anymore, considering he cut it all off_, thought Capri bitterly.

Emily was holding onto her husband's arm trying to calm him down, no longer fearing the threat of phasing. Ashler, however, was shaking hard. He was almost blurry. Capri rubbed her eyes, trying to see him clearly.

The few people that had noticed her arrive were shooting her glances, as though they expected to go and try to calm Ashler down like Emily was doing for Sam. Capri, on the hand, was very content on not going near the volatile werewolf. She certainly wasn't going to be Ashler's Emily: scarred by love and ignorance.

"You're not dropping out of school, you little _idiot_!" exclaimed Sam, unafraid of his almost-phasing son. Capri mentally agreed. No way was Ashler dropping out of high school. Jacob had done so, and so had Embry, but both had gotten their GED's, and of course Jacob had his wife's wealthy inheritance to depend on. While Embry wasn't so fortunate, he still made a decent living as a chef in one of Port Angeles' restaurants. Still, Capri wasn't going to let Ashler of all people leave high school early. He was so _smart._

"You can't tell me what to do! I'm sixteen years old! I can make my own decisions!" Ashler screamed to his father in a quick, jumbled way. It was obvious that Ashler was very new at disobeying his father so blatantly.

"I'M YOUR FATHER! I _CAN_ TELL YOU WHAT TO DO!"

"I'm not a child!"

"THEN STOP ACTING LIKE ONE!"

"IM NOT!"

"REALLY? I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE!" Ashler looked appalled by the fact his father was talking to him this way. Capri was content to let this all unfold before her. Better Sam than her to be the one telling Ashler he couldn't do something. He was really stubborn, at least when he made up his mind.

"I don't care what you say! I'm doing it anyways!"

"NO, YOU'RE NOT!"

"YES I AM!"

Sam lowered his voice, grabbed the collar of his son's shirt, and tugged their faces together so close that their noses were almost touching. Although Ashler was now at least an inch taller than his father, it seemed as though Ashler was much smaller.

"No, you aren't. If I hear one more word about this, I will call Jacob, and he will be more than happy to order you to go to school. Is that understood?" Capri crossed her arms over her chest. She had never seen Sam act so…strict before.

After a long period of silence, Ashler gritted his teeth and muttered, "Yes, sir." Then, he shoved himself away from his father's grasp and walked briskly out the back door. Sam stomped upstairs with Emily following him, looking very unhappy.

The anger within her had blended into mixture of shame, anger, fear and disappointment. Capri sighed heavily and sat down on the couch next to Kaden. He smiled at her, and she returned the gesture much more easily than she did with others. He put an arm up on the head of the couch behind her.

"How was work?" Kaden asked. Capri shrugged nonchalantly.

"Fine. What were you up to today?"

Kaden gave her a mischievous looking smile. "Oh you know, a bit of this, a bit of that."

The older sister contemplated asking him what exactly he had been doing, but thought better of it considering the large amount of people with enhanced hearing abilities.

"Dinner's ready!" called Embry from the kitchen. The children all got up to get the first helpings. Usually, the adults waited until the line had lessened.

"You want some food?" Kaden questioned. Capri shook her head.

"Not hungry." Kaden shrugged and went off to get his own food. Capri pulled out a book from her bad and began to read.

**Ashler**

**7:00 PM**

_Fuck his dad. Fuck school. Fuck Capri. Fuck this life. Fuck this stupid goddamn reservation. Fuck Jacob. Fuck-_

_Who's fucking me?_ Jacob's voice rang through Ashler's mind as he phased.

_Forget it man. _As he said this, Ashler's thoughts were pulled to the earlier fight. Jacob radiated disapproval and irritation, even from miles away.

_Your father's right on this one, Ash. You need to stay in school._

_ You didn't, _thought Ashler angrily. Adults were such hypocrites.

_That's true, and I regret my decision very much. If I have any say in this, Ashler, you're staying in school. _Although said gently, Ashler felt the order ripple through him. Feeling defeated and annoyed, Ashler phased back so he wouldn't have to hear Jacob. It wasn't very fun when Jacob was mad at you. It made you feel ashamed, and Ashler had felt enough of that before their little conversation.

**Blaze**

**7:00 PM**

Blaze really wished Adrian had a phone. Then he could text her and escape the mad house that usually became Emily's house. He was fiddling with his phone when Embry cleared his throat, an arm around his girlfriend, Valerie.

"I've got an announcement to make!" Embry bellowed. After a few moments of shushing and shoving, the room fell quiet. Blaze saw everyone but Capri paying attention. His older sister's eyes were half closed and she was tracing patterns with her finger on the couch cushion. Typical.

"Valerie and I are going to be getting married." A deafening sound of congratulations filled the main room. Embry cleared his throat loudly and then added happily, "Oh, and we're expecting our first child in November."

Wolf whistles and questions ensued. Blaze tuned them all out and rested his head on the back of the chair. He was happy for them, make no mistake, but he just could not get Adrian out of his head for the life of him. Her rough smile and blue eyes haunted his dreams. The new injuries she always attained made him worry. He wondered if he should tell someone. One time, he'd suggested this to her, but she'd flipped. She had made him promise not to tell. The girl had been practically begging him, and he just couldn't say no.

Blaze absentmindedly tapped his foot against the floor, and he didn't notice until his brother had passed him, putting a hand on his knee, stopping the foot.

"What's your deal? You seem nervous," observed his twin.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Blaze teased good-heartedly. His brother rolled his eyes at him and walked away, not pressing for answers. Kaden was like Capri that way, except that Capri always appeared to know what was wrong anyways. He and Venus, on the other hand, were always pressing for answers.

**Valerie**

**8:43 PM**

Valerie glanced over at her fiancé, wondering how he could be serene in such an immense gathering of people. She was very uncomfortable in crowds herself, and she really hoped Embry didn't want a big family. Valerie thought maybe one day they could have another and give their baby a sibling, but other than that, Valerie was very content with a three-person family.

_Too many people_, she thought glancing around nervously, twiddling her hands. Her eyes landed on a girl in her teens that looked very different from most everyone else here. She had long pale blond hair and blue eyes. Valerie rubbed her belly protectively. She got an odd feeling looking at the girl. Not anything bad really, just weird.

**Sam**

**8:50 PM**

He heard birthday congratulation beginning downstairs. Emily had left him up here alone about half an hour, calling him immature for keeping his anger. On most occasions, Sam had a very tight rein on his emotions, but when it came to his wife or children, Sam would often express things a bit too roughly.

But, really, the thought of his son becoming a high school dropout was so appalling; it would've made him laugh if it weren't for the fact that Ashler had been seriously considering it. Running a hand over his tired face, Sam stared down at nothing in particular.

He then heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs.

"You okay man?" Jared asked his old friend. Sam did not turn around; his previous anger was being refueled.

"Fine," Sam spat bitterly.

Jared came over and put on Sam's shoulder. Sam shrugged out of the comforting move. Jared seemed taken aback at his friend's rudeness.

"What's your deal?"

Sam got up and spun around jamming a finger in Jared's chest.

"Your daughter is my 'deal'! She's messing with Ash's head," said Sam accusingly. Jared's once calm expression changed into instant fury.

"Are you suggesting that Capri was the one who told Ashler to leave school?" Jared questioned in outrage.

"She's certainly capable of it. Your daughter has always been trouble. Always causing problems for everyone-"Sam was cut off mid-rant by a punch to the face.

"Don't talk about my daughter like that, bastard," Jared heaved angrily. Sam got up and tackled Jared to the floor. Fists flew and before long, they were separated by Collin and Brady. Kim and Emily were both glaring distastefully as their husbands.

"Really?" Kim remarked, cutting the tension in the air. She proceeded with a lecture so horrid, it should be recorded and played in interrogation sessions to break criminal's into confessing.

**Capri**

**8:55 PM**

After muttering a 'happy birthday' to Greg, Capri decided to leave. Besides, hearing her father defend her honor became boring once the fight became physical.

On her way out the door, Capri bumped shoulders with Paul, who was coming in after patrol. She rushed past the ill-tempered man, not wanting to put up an act of normalcy at the moment. In truth, Capri wanted to scream until her throat was raw or maybe curl into the fetal position in some dark place.

Her mind swept around and around the thing she had just seen. Capri's feet carried her home of their own accord. Capri went into her small closet and shut the door. Curling her knee's to her chest, Capri silently shook, unable to ever cry.

George was going to die.

Tomorrow.


	14. Raining Cats and Dogs

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 14: Raining Cats and Dogs**

**Cassidy**

**Tuesday, June 26, 2024**

**3:45 AM**

Cassidy held her best friend's hair back as she retched into Cassidy's recently cleaned toilet. Rubbing Capri's back, she said comforting words to her grieving friend. Over the course of the past couple weeks, Cassidy watched helpless as Capri destroyed herself. No longer was the Capri of cool indifference and arrogant aloofness. In her place was an unhinged, self-destructive girl who was now making it Cassidy's responsibly to look after her sorry ass and make sure her parents down in La Push don't catch a whiff of her new reckless abandonment.

Nobody had really known how important George had really been to Capri. They two just seemed to be friendly co-workers. Capri certainly hadn't told Cassidy otherwise, and it kind of hurt Cassidy to know that her best friend had been keeping such another large part of her life away from her.

Brady had told her about the wolves and the imprint. Truth be told, Cassidy was simply relieved. It was obvious Brady cared about her, and Luke had taken a real liking to him as well. He wanted to take care of her, something that had attracted Cassidy to Capri when they had first met.

On the other hand, Cassidy didn't really feel right about the whole: live or die for you thing. That just wasn't healthy. Also, the fact that Capri had never really felt the need to share any of this with her made her bitter and angry. It all made sense now, why Capri had always kept Cassidy away from La Push.

Still, friends were friends, and Cassidy knew without a doubt that Capri would be doing this for her when the circumstances arrived.

Finally, it seemed that Capri was done puking, but now she was passed out. Great, real great. Feeling utterly disgusted at her friend's pathetic display, she dragged Capri into her bedroom and shut the door.

She understood that Capri was sad, and maybe if Cassidy hadn't recently become aware of all the things Capri had never told her, she would be more sympathetic. Capri needed to man the fuck up, text her own goddamn parents about her whereabouts, and go the fuck home. She wasn't a good influence for Luke.

Speaking of, the boy was standing outside his bedroom door.

"What happened?" he whispered into the night.

"Nothing; it's just Capri again. Go back to bed."

Luke went back into his room. Cassidy cleaned the toilet again.

Oh yeah, Capri definitely owed her.

**Kaden**

**10:30 AM**

Capri wasn't home. Again. Their mother and father were beginning to get worried. At the funeral for Capri's boss, George, Capri had flipped shit on Blaze for looking at her the wrong way. Yup, that was her explanation.

At first, everyone had thought it to be a fleeting grief, the kind you feel when someone you know but don't really know enough dies. However, Capri was losing it. She was actually yelling at people. Maybe this wouldn't seem weird for other people, like Blaze, but Kaden could not remember ever hearing Capri raise her voice at anyone. She had come home like four or five times since George had died. Other than that, she was always sleeping over at so-and-so's house.

Kaden stared down at his mushy cereal and sighed. He felt so bad for her. Kaden had been to the shop a lot and had talked to George on a number of occasions. He was a friendly old guy, a little lonely though. Although he hadn't realized at the time, now that he thought about it, Capri looked at George with such admiration and respect.

Suddenly he heard a yell coming from upstairs. His first thought was that his parent's were going at it…again, but then he heard a reply and the tone was definitely anger. Quietly, Kaden creeped up the stairs and overhear the argument.

"-am I supposed to do? I can't make her stay!" his mother yelled.

His father replied," Well, then what do you suggest? She's out doing god knows what and only comes home for clothes every couple days! Capri needs us to be her parents right now, not to be her doormat!"

"I am not going to force my daughter to stay in the house! She'll go crazy, Jared, you know how she is."

"So you're just going to let her do whatever the fuck she wants?"

His mother huffed," That's not what I said! Why do you keep twisting my words around?" He heard his father cry of frustration.

"CAPRI IS COMING HOME! THAT'S FINAL, DAMNIT!"

"No! " Kim screamed in disagreement. "We are going to let her grieve for her…friend person boss, whatever he was to her, and then she will come home!"

The bedroom door swung open loudly and his father stalked out, looking positively feral. Kaden scrambled back to the kitchen before his father could notice him snooping and watched as he walked out the front door, slamming it shut.

Kaden went back upstairs and found his mother sobbing on his parent's bed. Kaden put an arm around his tiny mother, and thought that his father could be a real ass sometimes.

**Venus**

**Sunday, July 1, 2024**

**6:20 PM**

Seth's flat was really pretty. It was all open and bright. They sat together on his couch watching some old movies from Seth's adolescents. Venus thought they were pretty boring and the camera work was pretty bad, but she didn't say that. Besides, Venus had other things to worry about.

Capri was spinning out of control, and everyone in the Pack had finally noticed. She didn't show up at any Pack stuff, she never came home, and when she did she was always having arguments with someone before storming out with fresh clothes. During the few times Venus had saw her, she noticed Capri had lost weight and had dark shadows under her eyes. She looked an absolute mess. Venus was always so shocked seeing her now. Gone was the impeccably perfect, under control Capri. Now, everyone was seeing her in the way Venus had for years: broken and hollow.

Seth put an arm around her shoulders. Usually these kinds of gesture made Venus feel resentful, but at the moment, it only elicited a safe feeling. Snuggling into his embrace, she closed her eyes and saw Capri in her eyelids.

**Blaze**

**Thursday, June 5, 2024**

**7:30 PM**

In the middle of dinner, Capri had burst through the door. Normally, he would've thought this entertaining and slightly remorseful, but this time, he was simply annoyed. Blaze had brought Adrian over for dinner today. Now she was going to think his family was full of dysfunctional freaks, when it was really only Capri, and she was much better behaved usually.

Capri looked like a tornado had hit her. Her clothes were wrinkled and her hair was unbrushed and crumpled looking. She had looked frail, standing there; she had lost weight, Blaze noted. Her expression, on the other hand, was the same as ever: annoyingly indifferent.

"That's your sister, right?" Adrian asked discreetly while his father yelled and his mother cried. Blaze nodded his head. "She looks…different than last time," she remarked.

Blaze met eyes with Adrian and said," Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention. Capri's totally lost her marbles."

**Jacob**

**Friday, June 6, 2024**

**3:12 PM**

He really needed to go home. Jacob Black had been feeling that pull for three years, and never before had it been so strong. Something bad was going to happen to his Pack. He had the slightest inkling that it would have something to do with Jared and Kim's eldest child. She had always been trouble. Funny, though, he really had no recollection of her appearance after the age of about nine or ten, even though he'd seen her almost every day until she was thirteen.

Apparently, the girl did not handle death well. Jared was going mad with protectiveness and frustration, and Kim was crying often. Ashler was getting Capri's emotions second-hand, and he had started eating about as much as his imprint did, which apparently, wasn't much. Sam was angry at Jared for not controlling his daughter. Venus was so worried for her sister that Seth had grown worried for Venus, and Leila kept bugging Leah to go see Capri, whom she'd grown attached to after that leech had threatened them both in the woods. Leila had been brought to tears because she thought Capri hated her, and Leah's husband wanted to know why exactly Capri thought it necessary to bring a six year old into her problems.

Jacob held his little daughter, Luna, in his lap and decided he would talk to his wife about finally going back.

**Capri**

**Saturday, June 7, 2024**

**1:56 AM**

Popping up in a stranger's bed, Capri pulled on her clothes.

Oh, hell no. Jacob fucking Black was going to ruin _everything_.


	15. The Great Act of Desperation

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 15: The Great Act of Desperation**

**Ashler**

**Saturday, July 7, 2024**

**2:45 AM**

_Clunk_.

Ashler rolled over in his bed, disgruntled by the sound.

_Clunk. Clunk. Clunk._

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo!" Ashler heard a familiar voice call from outside his window. Groaning in exasperation, he got up and slid his window up. Capri was standing outside in a crumpled little black dress that made Ashler's mouth water. Although it was very dark, he could see her tired and rumpled appearance, and with his newly enhanced sense of smell, he caught whiff's of alcohol and…another man. Ashler felt queasy.

"Get down here, Romeo," Capri demanded, crossing her arms over chest. Ashler felt absolutely hopeless in denying any kind of demand from her, so he sighed and closed his window before lispping on some shoes and a shirt. Ashler quietly made his way out of the house. Capri had left her place below his window and was now waiting for him in her jeep. She made a motion for him to get in.

Not being able to help himself, when he got inside, Ashler told her," Jeez, you _reek_." Instead of being offended, Capri gave him a good natured smile before pulling out of the driveway. Ashler gave her a side-long look. His imprint looked too skinny and had a slightly eccentric look about her. His wolf growled instinctively at her inside his mind. The wolf was mad at Capri for not taking care of herself, and for the stench of another on her skin.

Capri caught him looking, and Ashler looked away, blushing.

"Where exactly are we going?" he finally asked, not being able to stand the awkward silence between them any longer.

"Food," Capri replied. They then arrived at a drive-thru where they each ordered cheap, but filling food. Ashler was positively starved and promptly devoured his food in minutes. Capri ate her smaller portion just as ferociously, with a determined look in her eyes. Once they had both finished, Capri looked at Ashler square on.

"I'm sorry."

He flashed back to the night of her birthday party when she uttered those exact words to him right after he had imprinted on her. To say he was confused would be an understatement.

"Huh?"

Capri sighed and then answered, "Look, I just wanted to…apologize for my behavior this past month. It was very…immature and rude." She seemed to struggle to get the words out. Ashler looked bewildered.

"Did your dad put you up to this?" he questioned suspiciously, not really believing that Capri would admit to being wrong.

"No!" Capri exclaimed quickly. "I just feel bad because I know you've been having a hard time, too."

"Uhm…thanks. It was no big deal, anyways. Sorry about George, you know. He was a real nice guy," Ashler told Capri sincerely. She looked away from him.

"Yeah," she said quietly. After a moment's pause, Capri turned the ignition of the old car and said," Let's go back."

The car ride home was silent and tense. Ashler kept his eyes glued to the scene outside. It was dark, but the stars shining in the sky made it beautiful. The moon was curved, and Ashler thought it looked like a big floating banana.

When Capri parked her car in his driveway, they both got out.

"Do you mind if I stay here tonight? I don't want to go home," she admitted to him, twiddling her hands and staring at the pavement. The moonlight made her hair look silver, and she seemed to glow as brightly as the stars.

Ashler nodded, looking slightly like a little puppy that had gotten a treat. Together, they went upstairs and into his bedroom without a word. Capri borrowed some old clothes of his, and she dressed while he turned around in his bed, facing the wall with the window. Personally, Ashler thought she looked _really _nice in his clothes, and his wolf barked happily at the idea of her smelling like him.

Capri plopped down next to him the bed, snuggled up in his sheets, and muttered something that sounded like 'goodnight' before passing out. Ashler fell back against his pillow and stared up at the ceiling for a while, taking deep breaths of her scent. Eventually he fell asleep as well.

**Emily**

**8:25 AM**

The sounds of giggling girls woke Emily up on Saturday morning. Stretching out her limbs, she took a glance at her sleeping husband. He seemed so young in the morning light. Retiring from the Pack took a large responsibility from his shoulders which made both Emily and Sam happy, but they were both saddened by their own son's fate.

Forcing her body out of bed, Emily padded down the upstairs hallway to wake Ashler up; he liked to get up early. She was surprised to find that in his bed were two people, instead of one. Ashler had an arm resting over Capri, and they looked quite cozy snuggled up together. Thankfully, they were both fully clothed, which save Emily from an embarrassing situation that made her very uncomfortable just to think about.

Emily went back outside and closed the door, not wanting to disturb the two. She then sent a text to Kim, letting her know that Capri was with them. Downstairs Karli was feeding Jaycee some bananas and granola. Emily thanked her elder daughter and kissed Jaycee on the head before starting a pot of coffee.

As soon as the coffee was done, Sam came downstairs with a funny expression on his face.

"Did you see-"

"Yeah," Emily cut him off laughing. Sam shook his head with a smile.

"That girl, I swear. Always something with her; I feel bad for Kim and Jared," Sam ranted. "Oh, you made coffee. Thanks sweetie," he said, kissing her on the lips.

Emily grinned and told him," You only blame Capri because you're still bitter about the time she set our kitchen on fire." Sam made a grim look while pouring some cream in the mug.

"And broke my mother's vase. And fractured Ash's nose. And taught Karli almost all the swear words _I_ know when Karli was Jaycee's age. Oh, and don't forget the time she almost bit my finger off," Sam said accusingly. Emily laughed remembering Capri's hellion days.

Emily patted her husband's shoulder soothingly and retorted," I think she said sorry for the vase, actually." Sam snorted sarcastically and then took a sip of his coffee, walking over to Karli and Jaycee.

At around ten, Jared showed up at their door. Emily saw Sam greet him and let him inside. Capri came walking downstairs at that exact moment, showered and in her son's clothes. She had on flats and held a bag at her side. Her daughters, who had been watching cartoons on the television, glanced over at the scene.

Jared was about to open his mouth, an angry look about him, but Capri cut him off.

"Nothing inappropriate happened. I'm coming home. The end. No lecture or discussion necessary," Capri told her father firmly. Jared set his mouth in a tight line.

"Yes, actually, there will be a discussion," he said before adding," and Jacob called. He wants to talk to you." Capri stiffened at his words, and then it was like all the anger and grief just sunk out of her as she deflated before Emily's eyes. The girl rushed forward into Jared's embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Daddy," she cried. Jared looked down in surprise before he totally melted. Emily mentally laughed at him. He was such a big softie once you got to know him. Real sentimental too. She was touched by the scene herself, but there was just something ever slightly off. Emily just couldn't put her finger on it.

Jared thanked them and as they walked away, Emily waved off her silliness. It was probably nothing.


	16. Disastrous Minds

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 16: Disastrous Minds**

**Capri**

**Saturday, July 7, 2024**

**10:15 AM**

Capri took her own car back to the house, trailing her father in his nicer, more environmentally friendly vehicle. It was raining, and the droplets raced down the sides of her windows. The windshield wipers made soothing noises. Capri was beginning to get a headache, and the pains gradually increased as she neared her home.

She could not stand this place, with its everlasting consistency and stability, while her mind was always changing. Desperately, she wished she did not have to put on an act; her words were forevermore here, and one wrong thing said could be her undoing. Perpetually pretending for the sake of whom? Was it for herself? Capri had previously thought she was doing it for her family, so that it would not hurt so badly when she was gone. Now, however, it was becoming increasingly apparent to her that she could not leave without causing pain. It was impossible, and all six years of alienating herself from the world that was La Push had been for naught.

Capri was a fool. The moment Ashler imprinted on her, she should've known it would turn out like this. But she was always so used to knowing it all, even without being able to see herself with her power. And then George's death…had thrown her off, to say the least. She had seen death in many places, but not quite as often in those close to her. She surrounded herself with indestructible people; people who seemed larger than life. They were invincible, and through their invincibility, she became the same. By allowing someone frail and weak and so absolutely _human_ into her heart, she had also become fragile and capable of harm. She had done it once before, and it disgusted her that she had sunk so low as to actually let other people see her madness and sorrow, again. How could she have allowed George to see her vulnerable when she had already been down that kind of path before? That was not how it worked. She was supposed to be above it all; she was supposed to be free.

The girl smiled bitterly as she exited her car and walked silently with her father into the house._ Is this the freedom I imagined?_ She wondered.

Her mother sobbed, and her father yelled. Blaze gave her a look of scathing anger and betrayal disguised, even to him, as plain hatred. Kaden seemed relieved; Venus hugged her. Through it all, Capri made sure to look apologetic and sad, but in truth she felt nothing at all. She knew these people, but they did not know her. Venus was the closest thing to a confident that Capri had, and even she did not know much.

They did not love her the way she loved them, and she could not be upset about this because it was she who had chosen this life for herself. It was not anyone's fault but her own that she felt so alone and hopeless, and while she acknowledged this fact, Capri still imagined one of them coming up to her. They would put their arms around and hug her even though she protested. They would say that they knew; of course, they had known the whole time. It was okay to be sad, they would say, and it's okay to be afraid and hurt and to just _feel_ because you want to. There was no longer a need for an act because no one believed it anyways. They wanted the real her, and then they would hug her again and hold on until Capri stopped breathing.

No one would ever do that, obviously, because her act was meticulous, and it was not okay to feel things if they hurt you, which they always did in the end. There was no one in the world who wanted the real her. Capri was ugly on the inside, had made herself ugly and dark. Perhaps once upon a long time ago, something could've happened to fix her, but now there was absolutely nothing left to salvage from her broken bits and parts.

Her head was pounding when Jacob called for her. Jared had handed her the phone; she walked outside in the rain. Capri wanted this conversation in private.

"Hello?" Capri said into the phone.

"Hello."

Jacob's voice was nice, even through the phone. It calmed her. She hated him for being able to influence her emotions from miles away. She was bonded to Ashler who was bonded to Jacob, and now he could give her orders as easily as he did to the actual wolves. It made everything more difficult, although not impossible, if Capri's theories were correct.

"My dad said you had called. You wanted to speak with me?" Capri asked innocently.

Jacob replied, "How've you been recently, Ri?"Deflecting the question had made Capri even angrier than his voice had. She didn't like when people played games with her, even if it was a hypocritical thing to hate.

"Okay, I suppose. And how are you and Renesmee?"

"Really well, actually, and so is Sarah. She's so quiet though, just like Jaycee. I don't know how the kid has managed this calm of a personality with me and Nessie as parents, honestly," he said jokingly," anyways, what I wanted to talk to you about, Capri, is George."

It hurt. It hurt every time someone said his name aloud. She swallowed a revolting bout of pain, but stayed silent, forcing Jacob to get on with whatever he had to say.

"Capri?" he asked after a long pause between them.

"Yes?" She heard a deep breath from the other side of the line.

"You don't have to do it alone. You have so many people who would be more than happy to help you, and I think-"She cut him off.

"I don't need help," she told him coldly.

"Well, you might, Ri. You're being destructive," he said, and he said in a way that was so understanding and sympathetic it made her want to hurl.

She then told him while lying through her teeth," I'm done with that now, and I think that I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that George is dead" Capri listened as Jacob sighed.

"That may be, Capri, but I have the feeling that this problem is a lot more deeply rooted than this one death. I think that there's been an issue with you for a while now," he paused giving her time to answer, but when she didn't, he continued," You see, I can't seem to remember one significant thing about you after your tenth birthday party. I find this very odd, Ri, considering you used to be very…well, loud, for lack of a better term. You were loud, and yet, you've become so quiet."

"People change," she said calmly.

"But it's more than that. You were always different, Capri, but it used to be in a fun, interesting way. Now it's just…not right. You have a problem."

"A problem?"

"Yes. There's something not right with you. Even when you were younger, sometimes the way you spoke was so adult and sad. I used to come home at night and just wonder about you. You made Nessie cry once, when you were about four. She wouldn't tell me what you said, still won't. Your parents just passed it as you being smart and observant, but it's more than that, isn't it?"

"I don't' understand you right now, Jacob. You're confusing me," she told him while mentally having a panic attack.

There was another long silence in the conversation before he answered, his tone joking and happy once again," You're right; I sound silly."

"Oh, um, okay. Was there anything else you needed, Jacob?" she questioned.

"Actually, could you go see Leila soon? She really likes you, Ri, and she wants to see you. Oh, and stop giving your dad a hard time," he said laughing," he about has an aneurism every time he hears your name. You can get him pretty riled up, can't you?"

"I suppose," she answered.

"I think that about raps it up," he said," Except, oh I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you! We're coming home! The Cullen's have given us the all clear with Sarah. Can't wait to see you again, kid! We're moving back around September or October. It'll be nice, to be back again with everyone. Sarah might actually utter more than one syllable at a time," he babbled on joyfully.

"That's nice," she said quietly.

"Right? When I get back though, you and I should have another little…chat like this."

Capri gritted her teeth in frustration, but let her mouth relax before answering just as cheerfully," Yes of course. Goodbye now, Jacob."

"Take care, Ri."

He hung up. She continued holding the phone up to her ear.

"What can you do, Jacob? How could anyone help me?" she asked the man who could no longer hear her. Sighing, she snapped the phone shut and began the trudge back to her house. One thing was for certain, at least. No way were they going to have another talk like this one.

Capri would be gone by the end of the summer; there was no doubt in her mind.


	17. Santa's Coming Tonight

**Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.**

**A/N: Happy Holidays!**

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 17: Santa's Coming Tonight**

**Renesmee**

**Friday, December 25, 2017**

**5:30 PM**

Renesmee stared out the window, sitting on her favorite chair in Sam and Emily's living room. The television was on as Jacob, Sam, Embry, and Vince battled it out on whatever violent videogame they had deemed fit. Venus sat in Renesmee's lap while reading her a very boring, simple story about a talking lion.

It was Christmas. Renesmee wondered how Rosalie was doing; she was the one who had taken it the hardest when Renesmee had decided to move in with Jacob a couple months ago. Tomorrow she would go up to see them.

Jacob had really wanted to stay with the Pack for Christmas. They had fought about it for weeks; Renesmee said that Jacob didn't value her family, and Jacob said the same thing about her. It was their first real fight since she was ten and had left for a year to travel. Fighting with Jacob had hurt her, maybe more than it had hurt him. It was unfair how much she loved him.

They had compromised: Christmas with the Pack, and New Years with the Cullens.

Outside, she saw Claire, Ashler, Capri, Greg, Kaden, and Blaze having a snowball fight. The rest of the children were inside. Capri and Kaden were on one team, and Ashler, Blaze, and Greg were on the other. The latter's team had a much better fortress, Renesmee observed, but Capri and Kaden were much better at aiming and technique, and Claire was very good at making solid snowballs.

"The end," announced Venus,"Did you like it, Nessie?" Renesmee smiled obligingly at the Kim and Jared's youngest child. Venus gave her a big grin, which Renesmee thought looked adorable, especially with one of her front teeth missing.

"Yes, it was a very nice story." Renesmee looked out the window once more as Venus went off to go to her mother. Capri was hit in the face with a snowball by Ashler. He gave a cheeky smile which Capri returned before promptly charging at the boy. At first it seemed to be fun wrestling, but then it escalated, as things often did when it came to the pair.

Ashler screamed, and Renesmee heard a crack as Capri's fist connected with his nose. Ashler gave out a holler of anger, and Renesmee heard a sickening sound when Ashler punched Capri's eye.

The adults had come rushing outside in the snow after hearing Ashler's yells. Renesmee trailed behind, watching the scene unfold. Jared took Capri in his arms to restrain her, and Sam did the same for Ashler. Both of them were still struggling to get at the other, though.

"Son of a bitch!" screamed Capri as she fumbled, kicked, and bit her father. No one was surprised at Capri's choice of words; she had been swearing like a sailor since she was five. Kim and Jared had tried everything to make her stop, going so far as to wash her mouth out with soap, but Capri was dead set on using vulgar vocabulary. Renesmee didn't think it would be that big of a deal if Capri wasn't also teaching these words to all the other kids in the Pack and at school.

"You're an asshole, Capri! I hate you!" Ashler hollered in response, his voice all stuffed up. Poor Ashler, Renesmee though, his nose must be broken.

"Yeah, well, whatever! I don't care! I'm not giving you your present!" she told him, her voice booming across the backyard while everyone watched. Ashler's face fell.

"You got me a present?" he asked, sounding surprised. He stopped struggling in his father's grasp. Capri was still flailing around.

"Of course I did, stupid! You're my best friend," she said. Capri made it sound like the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh," Ashler said, looking at the ground," I got you one, too." Capri stopped suddenly as well.

"Really?"

"Yup."

"Oh." Sam and Jared let them down after being convinced they wouldn't attack each other again. Capri got an icepack for her eye, and Ashler's nose was set in place by Paul who had a lot of experience with broken noses. They sat side by side on the couch, drinking chocolate milk and exchanging presents, as though they hadn't been trying to kill each other less than ten minutes ago.

Renesmee went back to her chair. She overheard Kim and Emily apologizing to each other about their child's behavior, while Sam and Jared went back to play a videogame. Jacob came over her way.

"You okay?" he asked, picking her up easily as he sat in the chair, placing her on his lap.

She smiled at him,"Yeah."

Jacob didn't look convinced, however, and then he started to tickle her. She was soon laughing so hard that there were tears in her eyes, and only then did he stop.

"You okay?" he asked again, this time in a much softer voice. Wiping her eyes, she replied in the positive, and then he smiled at her in a way that made her forget there was anything else in the world except Jacob.

"Merry Christmas," she murmured, placing her head on his shoulder. He kissed the crown of her head.

"Merry Christmas."


	18. No Struggle, No Progress

****Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.****

****All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.****

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 18: No Struggle, No Progress**

**Ashler**

**Tuesday, July 10, 2024**

**4:45 PM**

Ashler was over at Leah's house with Capri, visiting Leila. Again. It's not that he minded, really. In fact, he was ecstatic at any opportunity to be with Capri. It was just that his plans involved less of a six year old and more of just...them. Basically, his imprint spent most of their time together with at least one other person around, and during these times, gave most of her attention to anyone but him.

Ever since Jacob called, Capri went back to normal. Well, mostly normal. In Ashler's opinion, Capri seemed a little too...edgy, for lack of a better term. The slightest thing made her jump, and she always had this look in her eyes like she'd done something wrong. Ashler wanted to ask her about it, but he was afraid Capri would turn him away. The one thing that he could not deal with right now was her rejection; if she did that again, he would go insane.

"Capriiii," Leila said imploringly.

Capri smiled at her indulgently. She really did have a soft spot for that kid.

"Can we have ice cream?" the young girl asked.

"Sure, just don't tell your mom, k?" Capri replied. Leila nodded loyally, and Ashler promised as well, as per Leila's request. Capri got up and went to the kitchen. Ashler heard the freezer door open, some rustling, and then the freezer door closing. She came back into the living room, which was scattered with various toys from the days activities.

"Sorry, kid. You don't have any." Leila looked heartbroken and gave Capri big, sad eyes. When she seemed unfazed, Leila turned her sad face to Ashler. After that torture, he looked up at his imprint with the same puppy-dog expression. The combination of them both was what made her crack. She gave an exasperated sigh.

"Fine, you big babies. Leila, grab your sweater. It's a little chilly outside," Capri ordered. Then he heard her mumble about how dumb it was that it was cold in July. Ashler got up from the floor and ruffled Capri's hair. She shot daggers up at him, but he just smiled innocently. When she looked away, he flicked her. This time he whistled a completely non suspicious tune.

Glaring once again, she stated," I guess Ashler doesn't want ice cream."

"No, I'm sorry! It was an accident, Capri. Honestly," he said. Capri gave him a disbelieving look.

"You accidentally flicked me...?"

"Yup."

"..."

"What?" he asked.

"You're a fucking idiot, Ash," she told him. He smiled happily at her.

"Yeah, but I'm _your_ fucking idiot." She snorted.

"Damn straight."

After Leila put on her sweater, they all headed out. Capri led the way to the ice cream parlor. Ashler looked at her questioningly, but she only shrugged.

"No one's eaten anything from here in weeks. I don't want all the ice cream to go to waste," she explained. Ashler still thought it would be weird to eat a dead man's ice cream. Leila was just excited to have free reign on flavor and toppings. She wanted chocolate chip ice cream with gummy bears and rainbow sprinkles in a waffle cone, of course. Ashler got mint ice cream with sour gummy worms and fudge. Capri served them, and then got herself some.

"Really, Ashler," Capri asked while they all sat on stools and ate," Who eats gummy worms with fudge on them?" Ashler smiled at her disgusted expression.

"Well, because they're sour gummy worms, Ri. There's a difference." She shuddered and he laughed, and then Leila started talking about all the different kinds if combinations of ice cream. Capri listened diligently and made faces at the really disgusting ones.

"How about, sherbert ice cream with crushed Oreos and caramel sauce?" Leila proposed. Capri laughed.

Ashler blinked. He hadn't seen Capri laugh like that for a long time. Huh.

Maybe the kid wasn't that bad after all.

**Venus**

**Thursday, July 12, 2024**

**6:00 PM**

It hurt. Fuck, it hurt. It was better this way.

Venus watched as her blood dripped from her arm into the drain. She was crying, but the shower was running, so it was okay. No one would hear. No one would know. It was better this way, really. The pain felt like release to Venus. She could escape.

Red was such a pretty color.

She wanted to be alone. There were too many people. They were always there; Seth was always there. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Why couldn't everyone just leave? She wished that everyone she knew would just disappear.

A knock at the door took her away from her thoughts.

"Yes?" she asked loudly in her best attempt at an even voice.

"Unlock the door." It was Carpi. Venus gulped, but she did what Capri said. She put on a towel first though, and made her best attempt at cleaning up the mess of her arm. Capri banged on the door loudly. Venus could almost feel her anger.

With a shaky hand, Venus flicked the lock.

**Blaze**

**Friday, July 13, 2024**

**9:00 AM**

Blaze made his way down the shoreline. He could see Adrian sitting on a big rock a ways away. He sighed. She just had to pick the spot all the way on that side of the beach, farthest from his house.

When he finally reached her, she smiled and patted the spot next to her. Blaze climbed up, and, upon taking a seat, kissed her on the cheek. She smiled at him.

"Good morning," she said. Blaze groaned in response.

"Why do we have to get up so early, again?" he questioned. Blaze absolutely detested mornings with a passion. They were for the insane and annoying, not people like himself. Adrian shook her head at him.

"Because this is the only time we can meet without me getting in trouble,and," she added," I like mornings." Blaze groaned again.

"You're a weirdo," he told her.

"Undoubtedly," she agreed. Blaze leaned his head down on her shoulder and smiled.

She may be a weirdo, but she was his weirdo.

"It's Friday the thirteenth," she commented offhandedly.

"So?"

"I'm just saying. Like, just don't step in a crack or go under a ladder or anything," Adrian told him.

"Don't you mean "on"?" Blaze asked. Adrian glanced at him in confusion.

"What?"

"You said,'Don't step in a crack'. But it's step on a crack," he informed her. Adrian rolled her eyes at him.

"That's like the same thing," she said. Blaze shook his head.

"No it's not. If you step _in_ a crack, that implies your foot actually enters the-" he said, but he was cut off by Adrian's mouth on his own.

And that was that.

**Capri**

**Saturday, July 14, 2024**

**8:30 PM**

Everything had to be ready. A plan to be formed. She had always had a sort of skeletal step of events that she would slowly add more and more details to. Only things hadn't happened the way she predicted because, unfortunately, she couldn't see her own future. Now things had to be sped up, people needed to be called, and money needed to be collected.

And she only had a little more than a month.

It was all falling through her fingers like a million grains of sand. She had to go, though. There was no other option; this place was killing her. If she stayed...if she stayed, Capri was going to take people down with her, and that was something she didn't want to do. Especially not to Ashler. Never to him, not her best friend.

He was her best friend, or, he used to be. She remembered late nights on the beach, laughing, and cold winter days with coffee they tried to make themselves. They had failed horribly and had blamed each other. They had fought and argued.

Ashler was better than her, and he deserved somebody that was more than a few faded memories and a mangled mind. He deserved the whole fucking world, and all she could give him was just her. Just Capri, and that was probably the thing that made her feel the worst.

Stay and she kept him in a life that was bound and limited, leave, and she hurt him, but in leaving, she could give him everything he needed. Everything she needed.

Maybe their needs were the same, or maybe that idea just made her feel better about her decision. So what? It was justified. She was justified in her feelings and her actions.

And so she told herself, again and again.


	19. Nothing is Going to Get Better It's Not

****Disclaimer: All Twilight characters and related events and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer.****

****All original characters and related events and ideas belong to me.****

The Perfect Daughter

**Chapter 19: Nothing is Going to Get Better. It's Not.**

**Monday, July 30, 2024**

**Capri**

**12:05 PM**

Capri and Cassidy were hanging out in Cassidy's bedroom. Luke was downstairs watching the television, so they were free to have a couple cigarettes. Capri was propped up against Cassidy's bed post with a soup bowl as an ash tray, while Cassidy was lounging in her desk chair, reading some old looking book. It was probably a "classic". Gag.

"I honestly don't know what you see in that book," Capri commented before taking a long drag of her cigarette. Cassidy glared up at her, but didn't say anything.

"Honestly, those books are meant for the meaningless, boring days in English class. Not for fun."

This time Cassidy did look up.

"Seriously, I just want you to stop talking," Cassidy said. Capri glanced at her sharply. Cass had been kind of cold to her lately. Capri supposed her friend was stressed out, what with her mom hardly coming home anymore, and Brady bugging her all the time. Capri almost shuddered at the realization that Brady was going to tell her one day what her family was. Cassidy was going to be so mad at her, more than she was now...

But Capri wasn't going to be around much longer, was she? She only had so much time before she was gone, and then she wouldn't be seeing Cassidy for a while. No more trips up to Forks, or seeing Luke run around in his pajamas. No more late nights watching crappy reruns or lame drunken parties. No more secrets and no more jokes.

Cassidy was going to hate her for this. Capri was going to leave, just like Cassidy's father had done and just like her flaky, drunk mom coming home every couple days to get clean clothes and some food. Actually, she realized, it was what she herself had done a couple of weeks ago to her own family.

Capri put out her cigarette and sighed. Why did things have to get so fucked up? Cassidy needed her right now; she needed a friend. Capri didn't want Cassidy to have to become so dependent on Brady like the other imprints had done. People in the Pack become too oblivious to the outside world, which was dangerous.

She looked at her best friend. There was a crease in her forehead which meant she was concentrating pretty hard on her book. Cass looked tired, though, and just a bit sad.

"Hey, Cass-" Capri began, but was cut off.

"What!" she exclaimed. "What do you _**want**_, Capri?!" Capri was taken aback.

"What's your problem?" Capri asked, slightly offended. She knew Cassidy was going through a rough time herself right now, but still.

Cassidy laughed without sounding amused.

"My problem? _My_ problem?" she asked frantically, slamming her book closed.

Capri shrugged," Yeah. Like, what's up? What's your issue?"

"Nothing!" she yelled. "Absolutely nothing. Not that you would give two shits as to how anyone else is doing right now."

"Hey! That is not true. I care about you, Cass," Capri told her friend, appalled she could think anything different. Although, truth be told, Capri hadn't been as good at keeping a cool head as she was before George had died. Maybe she never would be again.

Cassidy looked down at the floor before saying,"Yeah, well, you sure haven't been acting like it." There were tears in her friend's eyes, and Capri felt her stomach twist horribly. She was a horrible person and a horrible friend.

Capri got up and walked over to where Cassidy sat. Putting a hand on her shoulder, Capri made Cassidy meet her gaze.

"I'm so sorry, Cass. Really, I am. For everything," Capri said, and she meant it, too. She was sorry, for the way she had made Cassidy care, and the way in which she was soon to abandon her. Capri was a monster, through and through. Always had been, but it had taken Capri awhile to figure out what she was.

Cassidy hugged her tightly, and Capri wished she didn't have to go, but she had no choice.

Really, she didn't.

**Tuesday, July 31, 2024**

**Renesmee**

**9:39 AM**

"Sarah, baby. Wake up," Renesmee whispered to her sleeping daughter. But of course, Sarah being Sarah, didn't wake up unless forcibly dragged out of bed. Renesmee shook her Sarah's tiny shoulder.

"Sarah, it's time to get up."

Sarah groaned and tugged her little quilt over her head. Sighing, Renesmee stood up. Well, desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Alright, fine. Have it your way," Renesmee said before picking her up out of her crib. Her daughter made a sound of distaste, but didn't fight being carried downstairs.

Sarah was the child of a half vampire and a shapeshifter, and that made her just a little bit odd, to say the least. While her growth was not as sporadic and fast paced as her mothers, she still grew slightly more quickly than a normal human, and her brain grew and learned at the rate of an average six year old's, despite only looking physically around three, and being biologically two.

Yeah, only the slightest bit weird.

Jacob was downstairs making what appeared to be brown, burnt mush.

"Oh my god," Renesmee said, waving a hand in front of her nose," What did you do?" Jacob turned around, looking sheepish.

"Weeeell, see, I wanted to make some eggs, but...I think I messed up," he told her with an embarrassed tone of voice. Renesmee set Sarah down in the living room to watch television while she fixed whatever atrocity Jacob had managed to conjure up this time.

"What have I told you about going near the kitchen?" Renesmee asked impatiently, tapping her foot. Jacob rubbed a hand on the back of his head.

"I was only trying to help." He looked down at the ground with a sad expression.

Renesmee rolled her eyes.

"Oh don't make that face. You are going to clean up this mess and never, ever, forever ever try an cook something ever again," Renesmee said. Jacob beamed up at her. Renesmee snorted.

"Honestly, you're got about as much talent in cooking as Capri does," Renesmee jabbed. Jacob looked offended.

"As if. Even I'm better than her."

"Yeah, tell that to the...eggs." Her husband laughed.

"Sure, sure."

Renesmee glanced up at him, not sure about the topic she was about to bring them into.

"Speaking of Capri, are you sure we should be moving back now?"

Jacob's face turned serious.

"Ness, we've talked about this. I need to go back there, and," he continued, gesturing to their daughter in the other room," Sarah needs to be exposed to the other part of her family. To be around real people-"

"Oh, right, I forgot that my parents aren't real people," Renesmee said, disgusted. Jacob quickly realized his mistake.

"You know that's not what I meant. And you know what it was like for you growing up, never being around humans or people other than vampires. It was very...hard for you, and I don't want Sarah to have to go through that same shock," Jacob told her.

As she cracked some eggs into a pan, Renesmee thought back on her life and grew sad.

A strong arm was put around her shoulder, and she looked up into Jacob's eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad," he confessed to her. She smile up at him softly, reaching up and kissing him lightly.

"Me too. And you're right, it'll be better for her. I'm just worried, you know? What if something goes wrong, and she needs Carlisle? We'd be too far."

"Nothing's going to happen. Sarah is fine, and she has been fine. She's just a fast growing squirt, like you," he said, pulling his arm away, but flicking her in the nose afterward. Renesmee sniffed and turned back to the eggs.

Everything was going to be fine.

**Friday, August 3, 2024**

**Adrian**

**5:55 PM**

She hurt. It was dark, and she hurt. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? What was so annoying and terrible about her that he had to do this? What had she done?

It was dark, and she hurt, and she wanted Blaze. It was funny, how much she liked him. She didn't know why. He was arrogant and sometimes mean, but he always looked at her like she was something special and always asked her how she was. And not in that stupid way people do, when they don't actually care. Maybe that was it: he cared.

That was nice.

**Friday, August 3, 2024**

**Capri**

**5:55 PM**

Flipping through the book of quotes, Capri came across one George had marked as his favorite when he had owned it. This had been a present of sorts, from a long time ago. A good one, too. Only George had known what Capri was really interested in. One of two people she had ever shared her secret with, and the one who hadn't betrayed her.

_"I meant what I said and I said what I meant."_-Dr. Seuss

Capri smiled softly at the words on the page. Once upon a time, George had liked these words, enough to put a green star by them. Green was his favorite color, Capri remembered, and he always used a green pen when he was happy with what he was writing. She touched the star on the page lightly with her finger.

Maybe she could be happy, too, one day.


End file.
